New Moon
by KittyKatz
Summary: 1500yrs after the end of Naraku, Inuyasha continues his quest in a distant future accompanied by a young miko with a soul that demons will do anything to devour. A what if continuation/ending, Rated M for language - and suggestive content inukag
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha

Love is forever, never does it die. Soul mates stick together, and never say goodbye.

* * *

An Alternate Ending

By Kitty

* * *

"I'm taking Boba!" a young female of raven black hair called back to her mother as she departed the building. Silver anklets jingled merrily as she walked to her vehicle. It was shaped like a water droplet, resting lightly on the grass in front of her home. Tiny reflections from the nanochips inside the strange, globular contraption glittered in the artificial sunlight. The girl paused briefly in front of Boba, checking her pale blue outfit one last time. Pastel colors that imitated a cloudless sky adorned her sleek curves. The small skirt and broad sleeved tank hid her frame but gave full view of her fawn like legs, delicate and lively. She was barefoot, as everyone in the dome was. There was never any need to cover feet, as temperatures never dropped below 21°C and everything was kept sparkling clean.

"Keiko! Don't forget your Checklet!" an older woman cried, emerging from the house holding a nearly transparent gold colored band. Keiko turned and gratefully accepted the bracelet, slipping it onto her right hand. It glowed and pulsed for a moment before reporting: "Account confirmed. Keiko Honda, you have fifty nine point oh one UOCs."

"Thanks mom!" Keiko said before placing her hand on Boba. This contraption began to speak as well: "Identification confirmed: Keiko Honda." Keiko smiled at her mother as a long hole appeared in the side of the bubble. Climbing in, Boba spoke again: "Please select destination." Inside the translucent droplet of modern technology, the anti-gravity mechanisms whirred to life, lifting the young teenager into the center. Small screens appeared below her as the upper half of the bubble cleared away to deliver an unobstructed view of the outside.

Pressing a holographic button underneath her, Keiko said in a chipper voice, "Cyan Shopping Outlet." Boba responded immediately: "Destination confirmed. Estimated driving time: fourteen point six three minutes." As Boba began to head towards the shopping outlet, Keiko's fingers found more memorized buttons and soon music filled the air. Another button lowered the ceiling, transforming the vehicle into an open top convertible, so that the wind could lift her hair and tease her skirt.

Just behind Boba, another vehicle came to life, a smaller motorcycle-like contraption hovering above the pathway. Bearing a very different passenger, it traced the girl's route all the way to Cyan. Parking a slight distance away, a young man with sleek long hair stepped towards the crowded mall. He slipped on a pair of sunglasses and stared at the sky. 'All artificial and fake,' he thought despairingly, 'you're the only genuine thing this world has left to offer.' Lowering his gaze, the lonely figure moved forward, towards the one thing he lived his life for. The holographic sun shined overhead, digitally orchestrated birdsong filled the air.

This is the world after a globally devastating nuclear holocaust. The natural air is toxic and the view of Earth from space depicts of brown, noxious little planet, rocky terrain dusted with ash, cloudy atmosphere choked with poison. Even the moon was a battleground, its face littered with nuclear missile launchers, some fired, others still awaiting their turn to attack. In this dismal world of pollution and death, no living organism survived on the surface of the world. Instead, mankind constructed massive domed shelters of concrete and metal. Each only had one underground entrance and exit that led to the center of the city. These enormous cages held a completely different world from the outside. Life as it was known to be like in the 21th century, prospered here. The sun shone without gaseous clouds of pollutants to block its rays. Trees grew from small plots of carefully tended land. Food was cloned or artificially created, technology had advanced to produce power whose waste was thrown outside the city, thus in these little habitats, the inhabitants knew little in the way of the dirty and diseased.

Keiko ran up to a tall shapely girl browsing the windows of a hunting store. The long haired brunette turned and smiled brightly to welcome the newcomer.

"Hey Keiko, finally showed up huh?" dark eyes smiled at the shorter female.

Keiko smiled in return, "Hi Cor, where's everyone else?"

Coral looked around, "Mer said he'd be here in five and Aiya went to the bathroom."

Keiko 'ohed' then jumped, startled, for a moment before calmly turning and hollered into a surprised face, "Keep you're hands to yourself, jackass."

Coral laughed as the thoroughly chastised young man slunk off. Aiya approached the girls, witnessing what had happened and bore a crooked smile of her own. Merlin joined them a few moments later and the four friends wondered the innards of the mall, laughing and ignorant of the pair of shocked eyes following their every move.

"So, are you going to go to the dance with Ho-joon?" Coral asked, leaning forward on the small circular table the friends were seated around. The boy was shy and polite, the perfect gentleman that every girl had a secret or not so secret crush on. Keiko had been in the spotlight for a while, constantly in the male idol's company. She'd received a lot of grief from jealous would-be Ho-joon girlfriends though she'd made it fairly clear to them all that she wasn't interested in him that way. Apparently it was not clear enough.

"I… I really don't like him like that," Keiko responded, taking another sip from her latté. Aiya laughed, canine fangs protruding from her soft puckered lips. It had been a long time since the girls had discovered Aiya's secret heritage. Born into a coyote demon clan, she was among a few select demons that were allowed to venture into the human world and make relationships among the mortals. Long ago, the world became divided between immortals and humans. Though the humans didn't know it, they were constantly monitored and influenced by demon power in an attempt to maintain the balance that humans so easily tipped.

"You really should just say it to his face," Aiya said, "He's too thick brained to realize that every time to avoid him it's because you don't like him."

"I have told him that!" Keiko whined, sending Coral and Merlin into merry giggles.

"I remember, I was there!" Mer piped up, "Ho-joon just smiled and asked if Saturday would be better than Friday."

"Damn," Aiya whistled, "That dense, huh?"

"I know," Keiko said, standing up, "But the least of my problems."

Everyone in the group rolled their eyes; Keiko was Ho-joon's counter part in the school. If every girl wanted Ho-joon, every guy wanted Keiko. The problem was, Keiko wanted nobody. Much to Aiya's chagrin, seeing as her 'poor' friend hadn't gone on a date since ever. It had become something of Aiya's personal mission, to bring Keiko into the world of men. She'd gone through lists upon lists of potential suitors that may interest Keiko, from holy men to demons, gothics to jocks. There was simply nothing that would satisfy her. The self-placed mission was something of a tactic to remove Aiya's own crush's attention from the popular girl. Kentaro was another demon allowed to live in the human world. His clan was the deeply rooted wolf pack said to have been involved with the disappearance of a mystical jewel. In fact, one of his great ancestors was said to have directly combated the Evil One, possessor of the tainted jewel. Of course this was all legend and nonsensical hype. Very few still believed in the legend of the miko from another world, brought into the past to eradicate unspeakable evil.

The friends later wondered through the racks of a clothing store, allowing Coral and Merlin to slip away for some private time. Keiko wondered through an aisle, not noticing the body in front of her before she'd run her nose into its chest.

'Half-demon,' her developing spiritual sense told her. 'Harmless,' it said after a moment's inspection. Keiko looked up at the young hanyou, squeaking out an apology in the process. She couldn't see his eyes through the shades but her sense saw past his concealment and gave her a glimpse of two snowy white furred triangles atop his head.

He stared at her for a long moment, taking in her confused crystal grey eyes and stubborn chin. A critically trained eye, he ran over the lines that defined her face, the laughing lines in the corner of her eyes, the full lips that could spit out the nastiest of comebacks, earnest expression, bright cheeks, glowing skin… however…

Keiko had begun to feel nervous as the unknown man stared her down through his glasses. He said nothing, no expression in his straight lips. There was something mysterious about him, something that drew her in. Yet his silence made her nervous, frightened almost, as though something big were about to happen that she had no power to prevent. And then he spoke.

"Still too young, but soon."

Keiko could only stare at his back as his fluid gate pulled him away from her. His voice, a deep honeyed tenor sent shivers down her spine. He'd said 'too young', too young for what? She was 17 already, almost ready to move out and begin her own life. 'But soon he said,' Keiko thought, 'soon what? … creepy…' Keiko shrugged and continued her perusal of the sale's rack.

* * *

It was the last day of finals and Keiko was having trouble. Finishing what seemed like ages ago, the young girl settled down for a long wait. After this, she was finally and truly free. As a spiritually gifted member of society, she wasn't expected to move on to college, in fact, very few did. Her gift would lead her down a different path, one that brought her to the shrine she will be living in. She will act as a spiritual medium, exorcizing ghosts and blessing charms. A simple life that held an iceberg of secrets. Most of her exorcisms will be done at night, hidden. She was recruited by none other than the storybook Lord of the Western Lands. Only he was no mere storybook character. Rogue demons and stray ghosts still littered the city and it would be her job to deal with them. She already had her first assignment, and was positively bursting at the prospect of tackling it.

The soft pealing of the school bell brought Keiko back into reality as students stood and stretched before clustering amongst themselves to compare answers. Keiko herself was instantly surrounded by her close friends, sharing a few moments of chatter before becoming enveloped by a sea of young men. All except a silver haired youth in the back of the room, scratching the small pulsing charm on his wrist, annoyed about having to suppress his aura to remain undetected.

Inuyasha was stunned as very familiar faces first approached the girl. Voices from the distant passed echoed in his head as he watched the friends banter amongst themselves. The tall girl and young man were obviously an item. Their behavior was so reminiscent of the ancient days where a cursed monk and lonely female warrior found each other. He hadn't seen them in over 1500 years. Never before had their souls resurfaced in his travels. The other girl was familiar too, her scent broadcasting a demon lineage. She would be the first youkai he'd seen in many years.

The lone man returned his attention to the last female. 'Keiko, so that's her name,' he thought. As he watched, another young man approached her. 'Hmph,' he thought, 'still endlessly surrounded by suitors and hormone driven droolers.' It had been hard, very hard, watching her through the years, surrounded by potential mates, yet unable to defend his claim. 'But soon…' he thought, 'you'll be mine.'

* * *

Keiko sat below the giant tree in her new front yard, her new giant front yard. She'd been waiting for a long time and her charge was late. Lord Sesshoumaru had charged her with the responsibility of housing a homeless demon for an unknown time. Keiko didn't know who the demon was or why she must take care of it, but she was looking forward to some company. Barely settled in, she was beginning to feel the emptiness of her new vast grounds. While the house itself was small and cozy, and the shrine house was small enough for a single person to take care of, the grounds were extensive and being aware of this fact sent cold shivers of loneliness through her heart.

* * *

Inuyasha stomped angrily away from a large chamber in a darkened building. The door echoed shut behind him as a string of unconcealed curses fell from his lips. 'Damn him!' Inuyasha thought, 'I've done fine all these centuries, why does he want to meddle in my business now?'

Taking a swift leap from a balcony window, the dog hanyou retrieved the keycard to his apartment from a jacket pocket before approaching the gates. A young guard stood at attention next to a small spider demon. The spider had somehow fashioned a lab coat to fit her many arms and she was working away busily at a large computer by the gate. The guard saw him coming first and spoke up loudly, "Demon way or human world?"

"Human," Inuyasha replied gruffly, "Kento Port, eastside."

The spider nodded, humming to herself as her spindly arms found the correct places before asking the hanyou to step onto a small raised platform. Soon the machine was ready and whirred its confirmation: "Kento port route established, please step through the gate."

Inuyasha braced himself before taking the step. It hit him all at once, though he truly should be used to it by now. Nauseated, the hanyou doubled over, gritting his teeth, as invisible hands latched onto his body, pulling him through the portal. All his senses were a blur as the blinding light was replaced by a soft glow above his head, signaling that his trip was over. Pushing the glowing button, the doors in front of him slid open and he stepped out of the arrival capsule and back into humanity.

The building he found himself in was run by demons. There were only three ports that allowed travel to and from demon world. Of the three, Kento port was the only one that reliably sent and received travelers to and from their destinations. Inuyasha moved swiftly from the capsule and out into the parking lot. Finding his motorcycle once more, Inuyasha started the engine with his hand, the motorcycle recognizing its owner. The drive home was a quick one, Sesshoumaru wanted his half-brother close to the portals at all times. 'For quick and easy summoning,' he'd said. Arriving, he quickly went to his room before solemnly beginning to pack, his few belongings tucked away in only a few short moments. Inuyasha grumbled, a frown creasing his forehead. Inside, he could hear his half-brother's words echoing in his mind, 'Kagome's is a wanted soul,' Sesshoumaru had said, 'It will grant any wish of that which devours it.'

Growling, Inuyasha shook his head and hefted his now loaded bag. 'What the fuck did he mean by that?' Inuyasha screamed in his head, 'Wish my ass! All her soul ever brings is a ton of waiting, agonizing and frustration, only alleviated by a few short moments of …' Inuyasha's cheeks bore a slight tint of pink as his thoughts trailed off. Along with a heightened vocabulary, the hanyou had learned a lot from Kagome through the years. But despite everything she'd taught him, he just couldn't lose his innocent blushing embarrassment for some of the skills he'd picked up from her. Mounting his bike again, the half-demon raced off to an old shrine, one that held countless memories for the time hardened young man.

* * *

Keiko sighed in her sleep, leaning against the stout tree. What had the demon lord called it? The God's Tree? Something like that. It was perhaps among the last of any real tree species to exist on this planet. Even the brief expanse of forest behind her new shrine was fake, plastic trees built by nanotechnology imitating growth and photosynthesis. Keiko sighed again, her head gently resting against its rough bark, feeling peace as the ageless being sheltered her from the setting sunrays. The first warning came in the tingling of her senses, nothing alarming, just a problem that can be fixed later. The tingling began to buzz, closer and closer it crept, until it finally reached the top of the stairs. Keiko tiredly opened her eyes, noticing the setting sun behind her. Sitting up she turned to look at the shrine's entrance. Before her stood a tall young man, his hair ran like silver ripples down to his waist.

Keiko stood up quickly, brushing herself off and cleared her throat. The man seemed oddly familiar to her as she greeted him cheerily.

"Hello sir! Can I help you?"

The man gave no reply, his lips remaining a straight line. Instead, he simply thrust a sheet of paper out to her. Startled somewhat, Keiko turned her attention to the forms, reading it softly out loud.

"What's this? Hmm… Name: Inuyasha Higurashi, Race: half dog demon, half Japanese, Age:…" Keiko's eyes widened to the size of truck tires, "1567 years?"

Inuyasha winced, ears inside his hat laying flat against his head. He removed his sunglasses to glare at the girl before him, "Oi, wench, 'the fuck are you screeching about?"

Keiko eyed the demon before her, noting his golden eyes and pointed fangs. "Um… you're my new ward?"

Inuyasha sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, deal," he said before shoving past her and leaping into an open window of the house.

Keiko stood outside for a moment, bewildered, then finally regaining her bearings and snapping around, angered grey eyes sparkling and marched into the house the conventional way to give her new charge a piece of her mind.

"Hey! You can't just barge in here like this!" Keiko said angrily, a fist firmly anchored on each hip.

"Keh, I live here now, moron," Inuyasha shot back. God, he missed this.

Keiko's eyes darkened, "You're MY charge, so you have to listen to me."

Inuyasha smirked for the first time in half a century, "Yeah? Make me!"

"Why you…" Keiko growled low in her throat, her voice lost in a feral grumble. Inuyasha raised an amused eyebrow, 'Seems like each time she gets better at that.'

Keiko pointed to a seat at the table where a cold dinner waited dejectedly, "Sit dow-" CRASH!

The newly appointed miko stared in confusion, not sure what to make of the now prone half-demon laying on her floor. If she strained her ears, she could make out of string of words that could make a sailor blush.

'Fucking beads!' Inuyasha thought, alternating between mind and vocal trains of thought, "That was sooner than fucking last time!"

"Um…?" a voice above him brought him back to reality, "What was that? You better not have scratched my floor."

Inuyasha retorted with a growl of his own, his claws flexing menacingly, inciting the scent of fear from his new housemate. Inuyasha gruffly got up and sat down next to the cold meal and proceeded to empty the dishes. Keiko watched fascinated as the food disappeared into the man's mouth. Finally she looked at the clock and said, "When you're done, put those in the sink, I'm going to bed, you're room's the one at the end of the hallway, if you need anything, just take it, but be neat about it, good night."

Inuyasha's ears flicked under the cap he wore and he nodded. Keiko retreated up the stairs before settling on her bed, wondering what she was going to do with this new impossible housemate. Keiko sighed, whatever she'd been expecting, she certainly wasn't expecting this grouchy young – old! – man. She rubbed her temples before turned to prepare for bed. When she finally snuggled into the sheets, Koinu, her white stuffed dog in her arms, she found the face of her new ward in her mind as she drifted off into sleep

As soon as the girl disappeared up the stairs, Inuyasha stopped eating, a nostalgic expression seeping over his features. In his mind he watched Mrs. Higurashi shuffle about preparing him ramen, Souta begging him to play videogames and that old aged man waving ofudas in the air.

After he'd finished and cleaned the dishes he silently walked up the stairs, voices and sounds from long ago ringing in his mind. Passing by the room, he paused, heart aching, needing to see her. Soundlessly opening the door a crack, his eyes found the creature of his suffering and joy. The room was decorated almost identically to its last owner's preferences. A large stuffed dog stood watch over the sleeping girl and Inuyasha could almost see himself, in the corner, tetsaiga in his arms, guarding the bed. Years of experience helped him repress the urge to join his long ago claimed mate in bed. She wouldn't accept him kindly like that.

Inuyasha turned and walked down the hall, lost in thought. As he sat down in the corner of his room, preparing for sleep, he whispered under his breath, "Goodnight: Kikyou, Kagome, Kristen, Kitlali, Kiara, Kelly, Katerina, Kara, Kayla, Kaitlin, Kosi, Kagiso, Khanna, Kim, and Keiko."

* * *

"Hey Keiko!" a cheerful voice called when he finally answered the door, "Wait, who are you? This is Sunset Shrine right?"

Inuyasha's confused face mouthed the name, 'Miroku', before being shoved aside.

"Inuyasha? Who is it- oh hey! Mer! Cor! How's it going?" Keiko happily shoved her way past the half demon to greet her friends.

"Hey Keiko," Coral said, "Is that the demon you were telling us about?"

Keiko nodded, "Everyone, this is Inuyasha. Inuyasha, this is Merlin and Coral, they're my friends from high school."

"Keiko's BEST friends," Cor chirped, "Hey Keiko, we're going to watch the new werewolf movie, you know, the one with Kouga Takai in it?"

Keiko's eyes lit up, while Inuyasha glowered at the prospect of watching his old rival on screen, "Sure! I've been wanting to see it for a while! Hey, Inuyasha, lets to watch a movie."

"Do I have to?" Inuyasha whined, only to notice that he was already being dragged off to it as he spoke.

"I don't think we'll all fit," Mer said as they approached his bubble, "Keiko, you don't have Boba anymore do you?"

Keiko gave a lopsided smile, "Nope, I left it at home since there's no parking around here."

The friends looked at each other for a moment, each trying to figure out a way to get all of them to the movie theater. Inuyasha scoffed.

"Keh, we can take my bike," he said, dragging Keiko off to his motorcycle.

"Uh, wha?" Keiko uttered, before catching her footing and turning to her friends, "See you there, I guess."

Coral and Merlin waved then boarded Mer's bubble. Meanwhile, Inuyasha was arguing with Keiko over helmets.

"No, you have to wear one too," Keiko said firmly, "It's not safe!"

"Keh, I've never had an accident in my life," Inuyasha said, "In my very long life." He was hoping to gain some credit, knowing she was still struggling to comprehend the 15 century old lifetime he seemed to have. "Besides, I haven't killed you yet, getting the groceries on this thing!"

"Big deal," Keiko snorted, "We'll have to take the expressway this time. When we get to the theater, we're dropping by the mall next to it to get another helmet."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and climbed on, "Just get on, hold tight and shut up."

They raced to the theater, Inuyasha relishing the feeling of her arms around his stomach, this time, finally unfettered with bags and at speeds that require a tight grip around his hard body. 'It has been too long,' he thought, 'far too long.'

Keiko's squeals of delight were blown away as they pealed down the street. Inuyasha smirked, making a sharp turn and doing a few jumps and wheelies along the way, knowing how much she'd like it. Keiko's arms wrapped even tighter around his waist and Inuyasha knew he was going to have interesting dreams that night. Her thin shy fingers played with his shirt, eliciting memories of so many other times those same fingers memorized his abs the same way.

When they finally reached the parking lot, Inuyasha immediately caught wind of the last thing he needed to smell. Abruptly leaving Keiko to her friends, he went off to intercept the scent.

"Yo Dog turd!" Kouga said cheerfully, "Imagine finding you at my movie premiere!"

"Stuff it, I didn't have too much of a choice," Inuyasha grumbled. He noticed Kouga sniff there air and smile, sending another nasty growl up the hanyou's throat.

"Yo, dog turd," Kouga said softly, "that her?"

Inuyasha didn't have to look in the direction the wolf demon had nodded. Still growling, Inuyasha confirmed the wolf demon's guess.

"Damn, she gets prettier every time!" Inuyasha gave Kouga a light punch in the shoulder. The two demons had long ago settled their differences, but Inuyasha still couldn't get over it when Kouga was around her. 'Not then, not ever,' Kouga thought.

"Well, I'm going to watch my movie now," Kouga said lightly, "I hope you enjoy it dog turd!"

"Keh, over my dead body," Inuyasha grumbled as Kouga stifled a chuckle.

The movie was vaguely familiar. Though the characters and circumstance had changed, the main plot was the same. A lone wolf, a young girl, and a love that spanned time and conquered hate. 'Damn that wolf,' Inuyasha thought, 'taking my story and making money off of it.'

Keiko turned at the end of the movie to see how Inuyasha had enjoyed the movie. She was surprised to see the flashes of emotion in his eyes. Fleeting bits of pain, adoration, hate, yearning and much more flew through his golden irises. But what surprised her most was the direction of his gaze. He stared directly at her and his eyes drilled holes straight into her soul. His mouth moved and a soft masculine voice reached her ears.

"It's been such a long time, Kagome."

* * *

It had been a few weeks since he'd moved into the shrine. Keiko just couldn't figure him out. One minute he'd stare at her like she'd caused him immeasurable pain, and then suddenly he'd turn away, muttering nasty things which she'd combat with her own nasty vocabulary. The fight may start out slowly but flames soon danced as the two argued, nervous shrine worshippers skittering away from the miko and demon.

When they weren't fighting, the couple hardly spoke two words to each other. Keiko stayed up late on haphazard nights, going out to take care of one assignment or another so Inuyasha usually prepared food in the mornings. Though they'd settled into a harmonious routine, each knowing and completing their chores without complaint, the toe stepping seemed to continue without signs of abating.

"What do you mean there's no more ramen?" Inuyasha cried, horrified and ireful, "There was a full cupboard yesterday!"

"I'm so sick of ramen for breakfast!" Keiko shot back, "I'm getting fat!"

Inuyasha eyed her suspiciously, "You… you tossed it all?"

Keiko 'hmphed' but refused to answer. That was the last straw for Inuyasha, "Dammit Kimberly! I've fucking told you not to touch my fucking ramen!"

Keiko's eyes squinted in hurt and frustration, "I'm not fucking Kimberly, you stupid ass hanyou!" Inuyasha's eyes widened a fraction, realizing he'd accidently slipped again. It always happened in the beginning. After spending decades waiting, with only the voices of all her previous incarnates in his head, it was usually difficult to get back into the habit of using only one name.

Keiko, not finished, continued, "I'm not Kikyou or Kara or Kagiso or Kagome either! Get it right for once, my name is KEIKO! You fucking player!"

Inuyasha looked up startled, "What? Player? What the fuck?"

Keiko took a deep breath, trying to even out her emotions, "Don't try to lie: all those names? Just how many women have you slept with?"

'Only 11 of them,' Inuyasha thought, but time had taught him many lessons, and one of them was to keep his mouth shut. Instead he growled before leaping away from the shrine.

"Hey! Where're you going?" Keiko yelled after him, "I'm not finished with you yet!"

His voice echoed faintly back to her as he bellowed, "I'm getting more ramen, fucking ramen stealing wench!"

* * *

That night the first demon attacked. It was a surprise attack though extremely easy to deal with. The demon was a lesser one, the little mischief kinds that even a miko in training to take down with her eyes closed. The only frightening part was how determined it was to reach her.

"Oh no you don't, fucking fucker!" Inuyasha growled, slicing through the little rat demon's heart. It lay on the ground, fur singed from dodging so many purifying bullets. As it wheezed to its death, Keiko heard its last words, chills running down her spine.

"Soul…" it said, thickly with pain and bile, "I… must eat… that soul!"

As the last words left the rat, Inuyasha's claws put an end to the miserable creature's vocal cords. He turned to see a heart-wrenching sight. Keiko held her chest as though in pain, horror building in her lush grey eyes. "What does it want with my soul?" she kept asking, over and over. The experience, though simple enough to handle, had left marks. Inuyasha turned to the young miko, holding out a sympathetic hand. When she took it, the clawed appendage gave hers a light squeeze. Keiko looked up at Inuyasha, her open-mouthed expression of fear bleeding away into a small smile. Inuyasha grinned back, his fangs flashing as he said softly, "Let's go make some ramen!"

Keiko just rolled her eyes and allowed the demon she trusted to lead her into the house.

* * *

The young girl looked at herself critically in the mirror. Her new night uniform rang bells of familiarity in her mind. Lord Sesshoumaru's note had said that it was an ancient set of armor that was used many centuries ago in the battling of stray youkai. The dark thick fabric clung tightly to her body as she slid on the thick gloves that came with the set. It had also come with two gun slings that attached to her thighs, as well as a belt that held several rounds of ammunition. Slim plates of armor covered her abdomen and back; shin, elbow and shoulder guards, the color of deep red blood were also attached. A slim sword was slipped to her waist and Keiko held a silver mask, examining the odd contraption in curiosity.

"Keiko! It's almost time to go. Aren't you ready yet, wench?" Inuyasha hollered from below. Keiko just rolled her eyes, before gathering her wavy her in a high pony tail and racing down the stairs. Inuyasha gasped in shock when he saw her. 'Sango…' his mind said to him, watching the miko approach him. He gave out a long suffering sigh before asking, "Let me guess, Sesshy sent you a giant boomerang too?"

"LORD Sesshoumaru," Keiko said, "has a new assignment for us."

Since the last attack, the giant spider demon nearly successfully killing Keiko and sucking out her soul, Inuyasha had forced his way into her nightly missions. 'There ain't no fucking way I'm letting you go out there to get killed,' he'd said.

"Oh," Keiko's voice bringing his mind back to the present, "and Lord Sesshoumaru's note said that you should bring you're tetsaiga this time, whatever that means."

Inuyasha looked shocked, in fact, he was. Sesshoumaru had made it forbidden for demons to walk the human world while carrying demonic weapons. It was just one way to ensure that humans wouldn't find out about them. Since he'd long ago learned to control his blood, Inuyasha never needed the tetsaiga in battle anymore, not since the 1700s. Why would he need the sword now? Was Sesshoumaru suggesting that the next demon they were hunting was incredibly powerful?

'Keh, like hell,' Inuyasha thought, 'after Naraku, there's nothing I can't handle.'

* * *

They walked about many alleyways the demon was reported to have been last seen, yet there was no sign of it. Keiko was tired and ready for a midnight snack. Turning to Inuyasha, she shrugged her shoulders and sighed.

"Think we should call it a night?" No sooner had those words left her lips when something hit her from behind. The armor on her body flared as an unearthly howl echoed through the alley. Inuyasha was on her in an instant, his concerned golden eyes roving her body.

"Are you alright?" He asked in a voiced riddled with worry and anger.

"I think so," Keiko said, and then snapped her head in another direction, "I can feel it now. It's coming!"

Inuyasha turned to face the new threat. The centipede demon was shaking its head, smoke rising from the wound where it had rammed itself straight into the barrier protecting the miko. Inuyasha growled, 'so I get to meet another Mistress Centipede huh?'

Keiko had her gun out and aimed. A silent streak of white light flew from the firearm, landing squarely on the creatures head. The demon roared its fury and pain, striking at the girl. Keiko looked on wide eyed, why didn't it incinerate from her bullet?

"You think you're little tricks will save you again?" the centipede asked, "This time, even without the jewel, I will rake your little pet through this alley until his blood covers every inch. And then, my pretty, I will take your soul."

Inuyasha growled, "Fucking die!" leaping into the air, claws bared. Mistress Centipede only laughed, swatting the hanyou away like nothing.

"You're precious isn't the only soul that's gotten stronger," her fanged lips curved into a sadistic smile, "And you, my poor hanyou, haven't even grown at all!"

Inuyasha had landed in a not so welcoming trash bin, its contents spilling onto the street. Mistress Centipede grabbed the dog demon by the neck and flung him into the opposite wall. Keiko's eyes poured tears as his agonizing scream tore through the air. 'Ok,' Keiko said to herself, 'it's ok, surprise attack but we can recover.'

Keiko dodged to the right to gain a better shot. She noticed how the centipede's head and torso were covered in a hard exoskeleton. 'That must be what protects her from my shots,' she thought, setting her sights on the insect demon's joints. While a sheet of armor is protective, something strong will not bend easily, therefore, the demon's shell will only extend over surfaces that don't need to bend. Keiko aimed and shot toward the creature's left underarm.

Mistress Centipede grunted in shock as the burning sensation of purification energy ripped her left arm off. She rounded on Keiko, hate dripping from her blood red eyes.

"So," she said in a dangerously low voice, "my pretty wants to play rough?"

Keiko was backing up, trying to find another place where the steely armor ended. Inuyasha was just barely keeping his consciousness, struggling to stand and make his way to her.

"Then rough I will play!" the hellish beast announced, her voice ringing off into the night. Lashing forward with her tail, the demon struck Keiko at her side. Though the protective charms on the armor held, the sheer force of the blow sent Keiko rocketing down the alleyway. Barrier only being a protection against demonic attacks, the pavement roughly scratched her prone body, tearing away some of the uniform's fabric. Keiko cautiously stood, warily eyeing the demon before her.

Mistress Centipede howled with laughter, "Is the all powerful guardian of the Shikon no Tama at her end?" Keiko, not understanding what the demon was telling her, braced herself for the next attack, hold both her guns out in front of her, steel grey eyes narrowed, focused only on her target.

The scent of her blood tickled his nose. It helped clear his head and stand. Five decades, he'd lived and waited for her to return to him. He finally found her and he'd be damned if he let her die and wait another five to find her again. He would lose his mind first. Inuyasha set his jaw and braced his wobbly legs. He drew on a power he hadn't used in centuries. With a flash and a shing, the sword came loose from its scabbard and grew larger. Mistress Centipede, sensing the attack from behind, turned to see while Keiko sighted her chance. Aiming for the soft uncovered stretch of neck, Keiko squeezed the trigger of both her weapons just as she heard his voice crying, "Tetsaiga!"

Both assaults reached their target simultaneously and the demon screamed into the night, "NOOOO! I'll have your soul yet my pretty!" As her body disintegrated, the centipede reached for the girl, her hand falling to the ground a mere foot away before fading into dust.

"Inuyasha!" Keiko cried, rushing over to the still tottering demon. She felt his clawed hands brush away her hair, finding the cut on her head.

"Keh, it's been a long time since I've had a good knocking," he said. Taking a few good sniffs to make sure she wasn't seriously injured, he sat down to lean against the wall, "This is embarrassing, she was such an easy kill last time."

Keiko eyed him worriedly, "What do you mean by that?" Had his skull taken a hard crack?

The demon before her just smiled, looking at her face. "Keiko…" he said softly, "at least this time you held your own…"

* * *

"Come on!" Keiko said, "I haven't been out to party in forever!"

"Keh…" Inuyasha muttered, "Lame ass stupid hormone dripping sex fiends…"

Keiko giggled and climbed onto the motorcycle. Inuyasha looked at her quizzically before mounting in front of her. They'd finished their night's hunt early, just a little weakling demon that spouted some nonsensical 'I must eat your soul' business.

Earlier that week, Coral had mentioned a party at Mer's apartment and Keiko was determined to make it. She'd drilled Inuyasha through the week's chores and assignments. The worn out young man wanted nothing more than to stay home and feast on his newly restocked ramen cupboard. Sadly, it was not to be.

Inuyasha took the long route, relishing the ride before surrendering to the cacophony that came with college parties. Keiko pressed her body against him as he swerved between cars; Inuyasha's senses faced the dilemma of what to focus on: driving or the girl clinging to his back.

When they finally reached the apartment, the two young people walked into a wall of din, heat and beer. Inuyasha stopped breathing for a second, trying to allow the rest of his sense to adjust before tackling the assault on his nose. Keiko glanced at Inuyasha apologetically before getting tackling by a very drunk Coral.

"Keiko! (hiccup!) I'm so glad you could make it!" Coral leaned heavily against her as Keiko struggled with her weight, "Oh! You brought Inuya…sshhhhaa!"

Inuyasha winced at the butchery to his name but nodded and greeted the inebriated girl. Merlin stepped in to rescue the teetering Keiko, "Hey Keiko! Inuyasha! Glad you could make it!"

"Why aren't you drunk?" Inuyasha asked, finally getting used to the atmosphere.

Mer smiled at the demon, "I make it a habit not to drink at my own parties, I want to be able to keep tabs on people, plus, I want to make sure Cor here doesn't get herself into any trouble."

Inuyasha nodded, "So I noticed."

"Excuse me?" the troupe of friends turned to see the newcomer, Inuyasha stiffened at the scent of Kouga's great-grandson, "Inuyasha? My god it is you!"

Keiko turned to Inuyasha, "You know Kentaro?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "I've met him once or twice," he said noncommittally. This should have been a warning to Kentaro, but unfortunately for the wolf demon, he was already quite tipsy.

"Once or twice?" Kent exclaimed, "You practically raised me!"

Mer and Cor looked at Inuyasha quizzically, seeing a young man who couldn't be much older than 20 years. Keiko dug into her brain to find anything that could explain how Inuyasha might know Kentaro when Inuyasha himself spoke up.

"You must mean my older brother; we look a lot alike." And with that, Inuyasha fled the scene.

Some time later, with Keiko under siege by Ho-joon questioning everything she'd done since high school, Inuyasha found himself dragged into a drinking game. Beer pong, Inuyasha sneered, noticing how most of the partiers were human. Well, at least it was a way to pass the time until Keiko was ready to leave. He'd been watching her for a while, noticing how she was uncomfortable with the young human male's attentions. That Ho-joon character reminded him a lot of another young suitor always on Kagome's tail. Inuyasha shrugged, if there was one thing he was grateful for, it was her soul's gradual exclusiveness against other male attention over the years. Never did he have to worry after finding Kagome again in 2002 that her heart may be swayed by another man.

Looking back at his fully saturated opponent, Inuyasha said, "So, who's next?"

"I will!" Keiko said abruptly, cutting Ho-joon off midsentence. Keiko pushed towards the table, plucking a ping pong ball from a passed out losing party. Inuyasha eyed the slim girl in front of him.

"You sure?" he asked, "You look like a light-weight."

Keiko flashed desperate eyes at the hanyou. "I'll take the shots for her!" Ho-joon piped, eager to stay involved. Keiko sighed while Aiya dropped by to watch the game, laughing at Keiko's attempt to get away from the thick headed young man.

"It's ok, I'll take my shots," Keiko assured Ho-joon before turning her attention back to the table. Ten minutes and many points later, Inuyasha supported a collapsing Keiko to the couch, trying to find a section that wasn't beer soaked. Ho-joon had long since passed out from his own drinks and Aiya was helping Kentaro back from the bathroom. Merlin came up to Inuyasha with a damp towel.

"Thanks," Inuyasha said gruffly, wiping the building sweat from the barely conscious girl. Merlin noticed how tender the demon's touch was, how careful his hands were to ensure that the claws didn't come near the skin. Inuyasha cupped Keiko's cheek, wiping away a wayward drop of drool, his thumb rubbing gentle circles against her cheek.

"What's it been? Three months at least huh?" Mer said to the attentive hanyou. Inuyasha grunted, his thoughts focusing on the girl before him.

"Ever get the feeling you've met someone before, though you're sure you haven't" Merlin prodded. He had an odd sense about this demon, though he couldn't pinpoint it. But it was the same feeling he felt when he met Coral and Keiko for the first time. Like he was meeting old friends.

Inuyasha shook his head, "Never. But I have met many people, people whom I've met lifetimes before that come back to see me."

Merlin, unsure if he was hearing right in the loud room, leaned closer, "Um… what?"

"There was an old woman I knew, a lot time ago. She died only a few years after I met her. But Kaede was a stubborn old hag. As she lay dying she tried to tell me something but it didn't come out in time. So she met me three centuries later to finish relaying that message. It was the first time anyone's been able to retain their previous incarnate's memories."

Merlin raised an eyebrow and decided that perhaps Inuyasha was becoming affected by some drink, though he hadn't noticed the hanyou ever taking a sip. It eventually got late and Inuyasha carried Keiko back home. He rode slowly, with her in front, wanting nothing more than to pull over and lay somewhere with her in his arms. But he knew he couldn't do that, it would hurt his mark too much, to know that he was relishing in unconsented touch.

When they returned home he laid her in bed, gently brushing her hair away, almost giving into his urges when she reacted to him. Out of curiosity, he leaned close to examine her neck. After Kagome, each incarnate bore a birth mark on the base of their neck, in the back to the left side. There he saw it, four droplet-like marks resembling fangs, a bite mark, the only place that he ever looked to with a taste for blood.

Leaning in even closer, he whispered so that his hot breath would tickle the mark, "I love you, Keiko."

The girl in question sighed, an imperceptible tremor rushing through her body, as if to respond to him.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha

~*~

Love is forever, never does it die. Soul mates stick together, and never say goodbye.

~*~

Untitled Part II

By Kitty

~*~

Keiko sat in the kitchen stirring a cup of hot chocolate. Her Checklet lay on the table beside her, glowing slightly in the dark. The day had gone well; she'd gone shopping with Coral, who was trying to find something nice for a party that night. Aiya had come along, enigmatically happy about her demon ward, constantly asking questions and prying about Inuyasha. They'd been having a good time. Nothing special.

That's when it attacked. In broad daylight no less. Though she hadn't brought her guns, there was thankfully a sword display in the next store and Aiya was strong enough to keep the demon busy before it tore the mall apart. Everything was a mess, people panicking everywhere, even climbing over those that lost their footing and fell. The demon was a tough one, with its single goal apparently to reach Keiko, or her soul rather.

"What's with this 'I must eat that soul' crap?" Keiko groaned to herself.

Keiko, at a lost for what to do, had thrown an overpowered sword at the thing, dissolving it immediately. The damage to the building made it structurally unsound and she'd helped with the evacuation. Inuyasha had come bounding in two seconds too late to get a piece of the action. He'd berated her for not being careful, licking (yes licking) clean her scrapes before hauling her away in his arms. Keiko rubbed a quickly disappearing gash on her thigh, her skin still tingling from the contact.

"Kikyou," he'd called her. With her clothes all soiled and laundry still hanging out to dry, Keiko had donned a traditional miko costume from the Old days. Inuyasha had looked at her stunned, his entire body stiff as a board. Then he'd called her Kikyou.

Keiko shook her head. That was actually one of the less frequent names he'd called her. Usually it was either Kimberly or Kagome. Each time he said any of those names, Kagiso, Kelly, Katerina, whatever, the expression on his face would change, if only for the briefest second, and a sad, distant look would flash over his features. Kagome's name typically brought the most heart broken of faces. What is with this? Did he just date and get dumped by a lot of girls whose names began with 'K'?

"Keiko?" The girl turned around quickly, startled out of her musings. A meek looking young man stood at the doorway of the kitchen, watching her guardedly. His name mistake had been the last straw in a stressful day and the young miko had unleashed all her pent up fury and frustration at the helpless hanyou. Hollering "sit" countless times, she'd long ago learned the dreaded word's effects; Inuyasha had to leap out of a crater the size of Manhattan before rejoining her in the house.

"Inuyasha," Keiko said, guiltily, "Sorry about before, I was really stressed out."

Inuyasha seemed to relax, "Keh, you can vent on me all you want, just try not to use that particular word."

Keiko smiled and nodded, pulling out another package of powdered chocolate and offered it to the demon. Inuyasha shook his head but sat down at the table. They enjoyed each other's company in silence for a few moments, Inuyasha's hands itching to wrap her up in his arms again. He knew from countless other times to take it slowly, but it was like trying to stuff his heart into a cage many times too small. He was startled when Keiko spoke up.

"Inuyasha?" she asked tentatively, and then waited for a sign to continue. The demon grunted.

"Who was Kagome?" Keiko observed Inuyasha carefully, knowing the demon was unlikely to really tell her much.

Inuyasha took a breath before saying, "Keiko? How familiar are you with the legend of the Shikon no Tama?"

Keiko rolled her eyes. 'Shoulda known he wasn't going to talk,' she thought, then said, "I had to study it extensively since I'm now the priestess of this shrine, the one built in honor of those that spent their lives defending it."

"So," Inuyasha said, "You know about Kikyou?"

Keiko blinked, of course she knew about Kikyou, the first priestess commissioned to be the jewel's guardian. She'd failed so her soul was reborn and fifty years after her death she returned to complete the job. Kikyou was also a name Inuyasha sometimes called her when they were still new to each other and adjusting to living together. It was also what he called her earlier this evening.

"The Kikyou that you sometimes mistake me for or the Kikyou priestess from the story?" Keiko asked.

"They're the same," Inuyasha replied. At her confused face he asked, "Wasn't there also a dog hanyou involved in this legend?"

Keiko stared at him, realization dawning in her face. Inuyasha gave her a wry smirk as her eyes grew wide. "Keh, didn't see that coming did ya?"

"But!" Keiko exclaimed, "But that was 1500 years ago! Even if you live for a really long time, hanyou life spans never last longer than 500 years!"

Inuyasha scowled and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Doesn't the legend say what happened at the end?"

"Of course it does," Keiko said before muttering, "The priestess from another world completed her mission and return to whence she came. The Shikon no Tama vanished from the face of the earth and never again would the world see powerful evil like that of Naraku."

The dog demon frowned at the mention of Naraku. Sighing, Inuyasha said, "I guess the details were bound to fall out eventually."

Keiko made to speak but found a finger on her lips, "I know how much you like cutting in, but this is a long story ok?"

Keiko nodded and Inuyasha smiled, "No interruptions."

"Kikyou was killed by Naraku disguised as me. We were going to meet that day to make a wish that would make me human. By doing that, we could live together simply as man and woman, making a wish of love that would hopefully purify the jewel. When Kikyou thought I attacked her, she grew blinded by rage and shot me with her arrow. This put me to sleep for fifty years. When I woke up, I saw her again screaming in my face. But she was different. Her name was Kagome.

"A number of mishaps happened which resulted in Kagome shattering the jewel. We spent the next three years together putting that damned thing back together, fighting Naraku all the way. We picked up a lot of stragglers, people that the legend leaves out. Miroku, a cursed monk, Sango, a demon slayer that witnessed the murder of her entire family, Shippou, an orphaned fox demon. We became a family, all of us a group of outcasts in feudal Japan. We fell in love, Kagome and I. But by the end of the quest, with a complete jewel, Kagome was pulled back to the world she came from, leaving me alone as the protector of the stinking jewel.

"I was hysterical after she disappeared, right from in front of me too. I didn't know what to do. I was desperate. So I made a wish that night she disappeared. I needed to live long enough to see her again, and the jewel granted it."

Inuyasha gave a little sigh then turned to Keiko. "That's who Kagome was," he said, as though it explained everything.

"But," Keiko started, "I don't understand…"

Inuyasha just laughed, sadly. "You never do," he said with a smile, "Never at first."

He got up and began to head for the stairs. Keiko watched him go, and then said, "You loved her very much?"

Inuyasha paused at the stair, not turning, just staring straight ahead. Had she seen his face she would have watched a sad look of surrender and determination cross his normally cocky visage.

"Enough to spend eternity searching for her."

Keiko didn't understand. There were a lot of guesses that Kagome had come from 500 years into the future. Didn't he find her after that length of time? Was the girl really from a different world, a different dimension? What had the jewel granted him anyway? Immortality? An endless life separate from the one you love. The weight of sadness in his voice nudged her heart. She got up and hugged the half-demon from behind.

"I hope you find her," she offered, but shook her head, "I know you'll find her."

Keiko couldn't see it but Inuyasha smiled, tenderly, as he looked down at her hands wrapped around his waist. 'I already have,' he thought, 'many times.'

They walked together up the stairs and prepared for bed after an exhausting day. As Keiko passed by his door back from the washroom, she heard him whisper.

"Goodnight: Kikyou, Kagome, Kristen, Kitlali, Kiara, Kelly, Katerina, Kara, Kayla, Kaitlin, Kosi, Kagiso, Khanna, Kim, and Keiko."

~*~

"Inuyasha! Get out here this instant!" Keiko cried to the locked door. A muffled sound that resembled a 'no' came from the other side. Keiko was panting in her frustration. She'd gone to all the trouble to plan a nice meal that was currently getting cold and a marathon of old horror flicks. She'd been giddy with the prospect of enjoying her night off. Lord Sesshoumaru always granted a few nights of break every month, and though it changed from month to month, one thing stayed constant: Inuyasaha was always nowhere to be found.

Finally, Keiko had caught him off guard, forcing him to go shopping with her earlier that day, before he could take off. She never liked the way he looked at the end of break. He always seemed sad, as if he'd spend the last three days stuck inside a horrible nightmare that wouldn't end. 'But not this time,' Keiko thought with determination, she was going to have a slumber party with the demon if it killed her!

Now it was evening, the sun just setting below the horizon. Places at the table were set, several pints of ice cream waited patiently in the freezer and five horror DVDs sat temptingly on her DVD player. The only thing missing was the stubborn hanyou.

Inuyasha sat inside his room, dreading what was to come. Each time he'd revealed this secret to her, he received a different reaction. Once, she'd flipped out and fainted. Several people charged in after an accused him of assault. That hadn't turned out well. Another time she tried to kill him, screaming on the top of her lungs that she belonged to someone else, not realizing that the someone she was screaming about was him. Only when he rejoined Kagome in the future had he not worried about his secret.

He knew she was going to find out sooner or later, he just dreaded her reaction. The half demon yelped, startled, when his face hurtled down to meet the pillow in his lap. Cursing, he winced, his body beginning to feel the change settle into his bones.

"Dammit woman!" Keiko heard Inuyasha holler from inside, "You tryin' to break my nose?"

Keiko rolled her eyes, knowing his demon blood wouldn't allow that face to be injured too severely, "Come on Inuyasha!" she tried again, "Let's do a movie night! Please?"

Inuyasha's quickly changing ears drooped; he never could resist her when she begged. In his mind he saw flashes of dewy eyes and puckered eyebrows. Funny, how all through the years, that puppy dog look was always the same. Trying to think of one last excuse, he said lamely, "I'm… uh… naked?"

Keiko pounded on the door, "Nice try dog boy! Now get your butt out here RIGHT NOW!"

Inuyasha sighed in defeat and approached the door, bracing himself and grateful that at least his now human ears wouldn't hurt so much, "Oy, oy, fine, I'm coming…"

Inuyasha cringed as he slid opened the door, not sure what her reaction would be this time around.

"Finally! Gosh I thought I was going have to break down the-," Keiko's voice cut off as though snipped with scissors.

"Um…" she said in confusion, "Who are you?"

Inuyasha looked up directly into her eyes, "Who does it look like, woman?"

"A human Inuyasha," Keiko said immediately before crossing her arms and tapping her feet, "Alright, explanation, now!"

Inuyasha relaxed a little, 'she's taking this better than I thought.'

Clearing his human vocal cords, he started, "Ok, so, you should know this, all half-demons have a night each month where they lose their demon blood and become fully human."

Keiko snorted, "Of course I knew that, but how was I to know that rule still applied to you?"

"I'm half demon!" Inuyasha said, "Duh!"

Keiko shot back, "Well, with all the hullaballoo about the Shikon no Tama and living for over 1500 years, how was I to know?"

"Keh," Inuyasha muttered, about to brush past her when he notice and increase of salt in her scent. 'oooh crap…,' he thought.

"Why didn't you trust me with your secret?" Keiko whispered. She thought the two of them had gotten to know each other well enough over the last six months. She knew she trusted him with her life and troubles. Why didn't he feel comfortable sharing this little secret with her? Hadn't she been as nice and understanding of him as he was to her?

Inuyasha almost let out a groan, "It's not like that, Keiko."

"Then what is it?" Keiko spat, "Tell me, why have you been keeping this a secret for the past SIX months?"

Inuyasha gauged her reaction, she was genuinely hurt about this, though he'd waited longer for so many others. He sighed before answering, "I almost got myself killed once, revealing this."

When he saw Keiko open her mouth he quickly cut in, "Not because I didn't trust the girl, but when she found out, she yelped and fainted dead away, when other people found her, they thought I'd attacked her. Another time I was rejected so badly I ran away and never came back!" Inuyasha thought bitterly of the one girl in all that time that had refused him. It was before he'd found Kagome again. He'd scented a smell so like hers he couldn't help but follow it. Maybe she'd been reincarnated again? He wondered all sorts of possibilities until he'd found her: Kristen, a little western version of Kikyou, silent, reserved but glowing with warmth. However, just like Kikyou, though she did love him her own way, she couldn't accept him like Kagome did. Her soul wasn't ready, he realized after all the pain and hurt finally washed away. He would keep looking, waiting, until her soul was ready to accept him, like Kagome, and he would wait for her until she did.

"So you're saying you don't trust me to see you the same way afterwards?" Keiko asked, a tear threateningly close to spilling over her porcelain cheeks.

"No!" Inuyasha said, exasperated, "What I'm saying is that I've always had a bad experience whenever anyone finds out about it ok? It's just a habitual reaction, hiding it like this! So deal!"

Keiko was silent for a few moments, seemingly digesting this information. Finally, her head popped upright again, as she reached a verdict. The miko grabbed Inuyasha's hand before pulled him down the stairs, "Ok," was all she said.

~*~

She was running. She ran through a forest she'd never seen before, yet somehow she knew she'd been there a million times. Her hand fisted at her neck as she tore through the underbrush, skin scraping against thorns and toughened bark. She had to protect it at all cost. He was close behind her, and getting closer, but she knew that if she could just reach the tree in time, everything would be all right. His breath was almost at her back, she could smell the miasma rolling off of him in waves. Just a little further, just a little further!

The dog hanyou told her once, something important. A young man, a hanyou in robes of fire engine red. He'd take her up into the trees and told her. A promise, a very important promise. Not of protection, not of service, nothing like that. A very important promise, that of eternity.

She finally broke into a clearing surrounding a giant tree. Its branches stretched wide as it sheltered those beneath it. Almost there! She thought as she raced around the trunk, he's right there; I only have to free him. A chilling laugh from behind her worked through her ears and echoed in her mind. A long inky black tentacle reached out from behind her towards the tree. She watched in shocked, disbelieving horror as it shot straight through the trunk, splinters flying and dark red liquid gushing from the tree.

She heard screaming. Long echoing screams, screams that tore from her throat in a teeth-shattering rasp, "INUYASHAAAAAAA!"

… …

Keiko sat up in a cold sweat. Seconds later Inuyasha burst through the door, "WHAT IS IT?!"

Panting, Keiko clutched her heart as it continued to pump painfully in her ribcage. Inuyasha sighed and walked across the room to her bed.

"Nightmare?" he asked, soothing her back with a warm, gentle hand. Keiko nodded, tears quickly drying in her eyes. She grabbed a water bottle from her night stand and took a few long swigs. Snatching a towel too, she wiped off the sweat and sighed into the half-demon's arms. He could still hear how quickly her heart was beating. Holding her close, he kissed her temple gently, whispering soft words into her ear. Keiko looked at Inuyasha surprised. He was never this gentle, ever. Yes, they'd grown to be close friends in the course of the past eight months but he hardly ever touched her, let alone kissed.

"There was a man in a baboon pelt," Keiko began, not noticing Inuyasha's look of surprise, "No, a hanyou. He wanted something from me, something that could grant wishes."

Inuyasha hugged her closer, his eyes wide, glancing around the room as his mind buzzed. Keiko trembled slightly but quieted in his arms.

"I knew, somehow, that if I reached the God's Tree, and freed someone there, I would be safe."

Inuyasha was beginning to lose focus. 'She's remembering Kagome's life?' he thought in wonder. None of the others did, Inuyasha tried hard to remember, though he was sure no one else had.

"Inuyasha?" Keiko asked, snapping Inuyasha's mind back to the present, "Do you know many dog hanyous?"

Inuyasha though a little then answered, "No, why."

Keiko shrugged, "I was wondering if you knew one that dressed in red all the time and liked to sleep in trees."

Inuyasha sat shell shocked for a breath before forcing himself to answer, "Hanyou you know?" His voice cracked as he rasped out the question.

Keiko didn't seem to notice the halting harshness of his sentence. She replied lazily, her eyes beginning to flutter closed again, "Someone I met in my dream tonight. He made me a promise."

Inuyasha gazed at her sleeping face, remembering that promise from so long ago. He leaned down to kiss her forehead, "First in the morning, last in the evening, my face and love only you shall see."

……

_Towards the end, he hardly left her side. The weaker she got, the closer he was. He could feel her life slipping away. She wasn't in pain, she wasn't unhappy, but she was dying. He'd stopped taking food for the last week, ignored anything that pulled him away from her. He told her that he would be the last thing she saw before returning to the world of death. And when she returned to him, she would again see him first thing in the morning and last at night, along with the love only his everlasting heart can provide. That was his promise. As Kagome closed her tired wrinkled eyes for the last time, her last whispered words rang in his ears, and would stay there for many centuries later._

"_Always and forever, My Inuyasha."_

~*~

"Laser Tag!" Keiko squealed as she read the slip of paper in her hands. Mer, Cor, Aiya and Inuyasha sat around in a circle, sipping various drinks.

"Cool!" Coral said, "I haven't played that in so long!" 'I haven't played that in ten decades,' Inuyasha thought.

"Alright," Mer piped in, "Swipe Arena, per usual I assume?"

Aiya nodded cheerfully, "Hey! Let's get a big group together and play teams!"

Keiko agreed, "We can get Kentaro, Kisa, Yukito, Hanna…"

"Don't forget Ho-joon!" Cor said slyly, watching Keiko's nose wrinkle in disgust. She was surprised, however, when she saw the half-demon's face darken. 'Hmm…'

"Inuyasha?" Keiko asked, jerking his attention back to her, "Do you know anyone you want to invite?"

Inuyasha thought about this, it was about time the runt was reunited with her, he thought, "Yeah, he's demon though, if you don't mind."

Unanimous voices rose from the table as the friends eagerly made their calls before heading over to the arena.

~*~

Keiko gave Inuyasha an extra squeeze before she hopped off his bike. Inuyasha stayed on for a second, trying to ignore his body's response to her embrace. His blood demanded more, 'she's right there, you're mate and you've yet to claim her?! You idiot!'

Inuyasha sighed, 'you'd think I've learned how to control that stupid demon in me by now…'

The building before them was colossal. Giant red letters proudly boasting to be the best laser tag arena in the domed city. No sooner had they taken two steps through the doors when a cheerful voice cried, "Keiko?"

The troupe turned to see a young sandy haired demon approach them. He had piercing green eyes and Merlin narrowed his, trying to place the odd sensation of familiarity he felt. The newcomer bounded up to the group, his blue-flamed swim trunks dancing as he approached.

"Keiko? Am I right?" the young man said, "Wow! You're even prettier than- I mean you're very pretty."

Keiko didn't seem to notice his little slip of the tongue and simply smiled her thanks, but Inuyasha fixed the green-eyed man with a pointed glare. Turning to the rest of the group, he said, "Everyone, this is Shippou. Shippou, this is Keiko, Merlin, Coral, and Aiya."

After introductions, Shippou turned discreetly to Inuyasha, quietly saying, "Sorry about the slip, but it's true, she gets prettier every time!" Inuyasha turned to Shippou, "Just like her soul?" and Shippou only smiled in response.

As greetings fluttered around, Kentaro, his sister Kisa, a young quiet boy named Yukito ad his girlfiend Hanna joined the group. Shippou later introduced his wife (mate), Chère. The group were excitedly chattering and laughing about the upcoming game, bickering who would be on whose team and so on.

"Keiko!" an unwelcome voice cried from behind them. Keiko's eyes went wide before glaring accusingly at Coral. Coral in the meanwhile was shaking her head, her own eyes confused.

Finally turning, Keiko greeted the next newcomer, "Ho-joon! Fancy seeing you here…"

As Keiko turned to make forced conversation with Ho-joon, Aiya watched Inuyasha's face twitch in thinly veiled jealousy. Kentaro noticed her gaze and whispered, "I told you about my great grandfather right?"

Aiya turned to him perplexed, but nodded, "The one that supposedly took part in the myth about the Shikon no Tama?"

Kentaro nodded, "It's no myth, that hanyou's the dog that beat Naraku! The story goes that after defeating him, the miko from another world vanished. Kouga says Inuyasha made a wish on the jewel that made him immortal, and now he's spending eternity, finding and rejoining with the reincarnated soul of his lost love."

Aiya, wide eyed and mouth agape, stared at her crush, thinking he'd lost his mind. Then she noticed Inuyasha's stance next to her friend, his stature broadcasting to those with canine blood that this was his claim. She could smell his age, something that couldn't lie; he was OLD, despite being a half-blood. Finally, she sighed in awe, about to speak her amazement when Keiko's loud voice broke through all the side conversations, "Hey! Looks like everyone's here! Let's go play!"

Inuyasha barely had time to register what was happened before being led away quickly by the young raven haired girl. Shippou, glancing at the abandoned Ho-joon, smirked before placing himself at Keiko's other side before heading towards the information desk. Inuyasha stepped up in front of them all and asked for arena seven. Coral and Merlin's eyes widened, that was the biggest and most expensive one! They were about to object when the cashier said, "I see, if you will please wait while I validate this pass."

Inuyasha smirked as Aiya approached him, having caught sight of the pass he'd offered. "Where the hell did you get that VIP-Privileges pass?"

Inuyasha shrugged carelessly, "My big bro?"

Keiko glanced back and forth between Shippou's sly grin and Inuyasha's careless demeanor. Deciding not to ask, especially with Ho-joon creeping up behind her, she quickly snuck in front of Inuyasha, startling him, before turning to Shippou and trying to get into a deep conversation.

"So, how do you know Inuyasha?" Keiko asked, nervously glancing behind her, relieved to find that Aiya had intercepted the boy for her.

Shippou grinned widely before whispering in her ear, "Inuyasha's my adoptive father."

Inuyasha heard this and leaned over to mention, "Didn't I tell you about Miroku, Sango and Shippou?"

Keiko's eyes, widened. "You're THAT Shippou?" she asked, incredulous, "Wait, how old were you at that time?"

Shippou, unsure how much Inuyasha had already told her but fully comprehending what she meant, replied, "I was about the equivalent of a human five year old."

"Wow, and this oaf raised you?" Keiko asked, incredulous, "It must have been horrific!"

"Hey!" Inuyasha sniffed as Shippou chortled into his hand. God how he missed his adoptive mother. By the time he met up with Kagome again, he was full grown and mated. Kristin hadn't accepted him at all; her soul was still too much like Kikyou's, not having developed enough to bear the burden of the Shikon no Tama in her flesh. And Shippou hadn't traveled to America with Inuyasha when he met Kitlali. Now here was a woman that could've borne the jewel without a problem, only she wasn't in Japan. The young Native American, though hesitant to accept the hanyou's attentions, had taken his lack of humanity in stride. Perhaps it was her culture that taught her to accept all that nature creates, but either way, having only her, privately in a land as empty of western culture as the heavens, Inuyasha had healed from the grief of Kristin's rejection.

Shippou had been furious to find out that Inuyasha had found her and not sent for him. Though in retrospect it was impossible for Inuyasha to get word to him. Modern communication was not yet in place and Kitlali's people only knew the lands they lived on, unaware that there was a greater expanse of earth out there. Shippou shook his head, clearing away the memories.

"You're account has been confirmed, please take these mission sticks to the fourth level. You're mission commander is waiting." With that, the party of friends headed for the elevators. On their way up, Keiko, Coral and Aiya were busy planning their strategy. They'd finally determined it would be girl's against guys. Being short one guy, Ho-joon volunteered to pick up the slack, much to Keiko's chagrin.

"Ooh look!" Cor exclaimed, "There're mini elevators and underground tunnels too!"

"And a maze!" Keiko said, "Wow, I'm so going to get lost."

Inuyasha watched Keiko in silence, something tickling at the edges of his conscious. He couldn't explain why but he felt excited, enthralled at the prospect of going into the dark caverns on this arena with her. It was like a hunt. They would be in the dark, together, ensured of their solitude by the blackness around them.

Keiko hurriedly put on the vest and eye screen visor. The girls all shared their codenames and programmed them into each other's visors. It was to help them communicate during the rounds. Keiko chose her weapons out of familiarity. Two small handguns that fit snuggly into their holsters on either side of her thighs. She'd worn tight short shorts with matching long black stockings to hide her pale skin. A dark navy blue tank top and just for kicks, she'd worn leather gloves with holes for each finger save the thumbs. Wavy hair tamed by a tight ponytail, Keiko was ready for action.

Ho-joon stood awkwardly on the other side of the armory, tentatively hefting a small hand gun. Inuyasha smirked next to him, cradling a much larger weapon. Shippou joined him saying, "My, my, that's a big gun you got there."

"All the better to shoot you with my dear," Mer said as he breezed by, sniper gear in his hands. Shippou laughed.

"Well, if that's your plan you're going to need someone to watch your back," the fox demon said.

"You better watch it good," the young man said, giving his new friend a smack.

Coral rolled her eyes before stepping in, "Yeah, or its mine!"

Mer gave her a perverted smile while Shippou tilted his head as the familiar face registered in his mind. Chère came up to him, traditional shotgun in her talons, "You ready for dis?"

Shippou didn't try to hide his own lopsided grin as he answered her, "Whenever you are my lil' vixen."

They waited impatiently as their mission commander hollered the rules and regulations of the game before finally sending them loose. Keiko took off running, a map of the area glowing in the corner of her visor screen. Inuyasha took off in pursuit, all his senses locked on his prey. Stealthily, he pulled out his wildcard: a small charm to hide his demonic aura. In the dark, he was sure she couldn't see what he was.

The visor on her head would tell her that he was approaching, but not who. He herded her towards the maze, mirrors and dark walls confusing her as she wandered through it. A little noise to the left, a crunch to the right, Inuyasha smiled, his inner demon coming to life. Suddenly he was behind her, arms locking hers in place. Keiko gasped, whispering, "Who is it?"

Inuyasha just pressed his lips against her neck and smiled. He felt her shiver in response, eliciting a low grumble in the back of his throat. He held her there for a long moment, allowing her orientate herself, to get used to this feeling.

"You'd better not be Ho-joon or I'm tearing you limb from limb!" Keiko growled softly into the darkness. Inuyasha only laughed, losing himself to the pleasure of her trembling body.

'Ok,' Keiko thought, 'not Ho-joon, too bold.' She knew there were also other people sharing this arena with her friends. But she doubted this was someone she didn't know. He felt vaguely familiar, though her mind denied who she thought it was. 'He wouldn't…'

She felt his lips move, softly against her skin. They stopped at the crook of her neck and liquid fire soon met her senses as his tongue flicked out to taste her. The iron arms holding her in place wound even tighter around her as her knees went weak. She'd never felt this way before, and while her mind was screaming to get away, that she didn't want a faceless stranger to be her first kiss or worse, something in her heart told her it was alright. Somehow she knew, somehow, that this shadow wasn't going to take advantage of her. This hungry shadow would protect her. And with that intuitive knowledge, she let go of the conscious world and slip into his arms completely.

"Ghost Girl?" she heard vaguely through her hazy mind, "Keiko? Where are you?"

Inuyasha growled into her neck, and Keiko surrendered another shiver. He reached up and took off her visor, removing any interference from outside. He lapped at her mark one more time, feeling heat pool into the stretch of skin scarred by his own mark. The demon's eyes almost rolled back in his head. How long had it been since he'd held her in his arms during her prime? Almost a century of waiting till her body grew and ripened again. He'd loved her through her youth, he'd loved her through her age, but only in her prime had he ever allowed himself the pleasure of her body. He knew human bones became too brittle, the cruelty of time's wear building on them. He knew human minds were too tender, the innocence that, when taken too soon, scars the soul. So he only had a few short decades to enjoy her while he could, before bearing the terrible weight of time again. And how he relished it.

It pleased him that she did not pull away, knowing that their bond unconsciously told her to accept his touch. Inuyasha dipped his lips lower, craning to lay kisses across her neck and collarbone. He very nearly purred as her scent spiked, her heart quickened. Letting his tongue loose he tasted a nectar he'd been far too long denied. For the first time in fifty years, his heart and soul was whole again. When her hand reached up to touch his, he shivered at her voluntary contact. Squirming, Keiko tried to turn towards her captor. She ran on instinct now, a low primal purr rising through her chest cavity. Her hands were not her own as she traced lines up familiar arms, biceps, and shoulders, strong as steel yet soft as clouds. Finally, her binds loosened enough for her to turn around. Her palms pressed against a hard flat chest as she made her first experimental pecks at his neck, relearning a well memorized skill. She rubbed her nose under his chin, knowing he'd like it. She opened her mouth and nipped his pulse, knowing it would drive him crazy. She pressed her body up against his, knowing he needed her. Keiko smiled, mind drugged and unaware, she knew he was hers like she was his.

The shadow man before her grunted as tremors trickled up and down his body. It sent lightning sparks of shivers through hers. Suddenly, she was pressed against the wall, mind barely keeping up with the position change. His hands roved her body, finding all the right places as though practiced. She was crushed into the wall, the hard planes of his body smothering her as he suckled against her neck. Idly running circles across his back a solitary thought danced through her mind, 'Caught between a wall and a … very, very hard place…'

Keiko pulled his body close, needing more, wanting to just engulf him into herself. And then, like magic, his lips met hers. Time fumbled and promptly whip-lashed to a screeching halt. Keiko's breath hitched and for one long eternal moment, neither moved, hearts stopped and trains of thought derailed. Then, like the tide ebbing, feeling returned to fingertips, muscles remembered to move, hearts began beating and lips started to explore. Lips. Rougher than tree bark, lighter than butterfly wings, sweeter than music and oh so much more, they didn't just kiss, they danced.

His moved against hers with almost practiced ease; hers learned quickly and fought back. Unaware of her quickened heartbeat, hardly noticing her moans, numbed to the outside world, Keiko nearly passed out when she felt that tongue, hot and languid, burn against her lips. It teased her, her mouth already opening an invitation but it continued its teasing, skipping lightly along the edge of her rosy mouth before gently pulling away, giving her time to breath.

Keiko panted hard against him, wondering how long her body had been demanding oxygen, not caring that she was ready to suffocate in the midst of those lips. Her heart thrummed in his ears and his pulse beat back against her chest. She panted a few more seconds, her breath hardly back when her dusty mind slowly produced a name she new he wanted to hear.

"Inuyasha…"

Then, as quickly as it came, his body was gone, to the shadows he returned. She couldn't even hear his fleeing footsteps, her blood still pumping loudly in her ears. It took her a moment to realize he'd gone, then the next second she wondered if he was even there to begin. Keiko sank to the ground, eyes dilated, head swimming, body tingling. She lifted a trembling hand to her lips, still feeling the burning heat of her first kiss. Keiko closed her eyes, tilted her head up against the wall and sighed.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the maze of darkness, another body struggled to regain its composure. Inuyasha inhaled and exhaled deeply so quickly he was sure he would hyperventilate. A soft sounds nearby told him he was not alone. Nose still clogged with her smell, he could barely make out the scent of his adopted son approaching him.

"So…" Shippou started, "I take it you enjoyed yourself."

Inuyasha looked up at the dark figure with glassy eyes, a slow cocky grin growing on his face. "Yeah I did," he responded softly, "Yeah I did."

She'd called out his name. That's what broke the spell. He could have gone on forever had she not uttered a sound. But she didn't say just anything, she'd called his name. That alone sent his heart a flutter and his soul soured. She knew it was him, somehow she knew, her soul knew, and that was enough to push him to the verge of tears.

"ATTENTION TAGGERS! This round is now over!" a shocking piercing voice called over the loudspeaker, "Please follow the flashing arrows towards the exit, if you need help push the red button on your vest. I repeat…"

Inuyasha, calm again, caught a glimpse of Keiko as she walked out, her friends worriedly hovering around her. He smirked at her dazed face and flushed cheeks, 'damn that was fun…'

~*~

"Kagome's is a wanted soul. It will grant any wish of that which devours it." Inuyasha growled, Sesshoumaru's words resounding in his mind. 'The fuck did he mean by that?' Inuyasha thought bewildered. In the past year he'd lived with Keiko, each demon they've encountered had come drooling for her soul. 'What the fuck?' Inuyasha wondered.

He was jerked from his ponderings as Keiko, long legs dancing, ran up to him. "Come on come on!" she whined, "We're going to be late!"

Inuyasha groaned. Keiko had planned a little date for the two of them, claiming that they deserved a break. It was the night after a particularly tough demon, again raging for her soul. They managed to slay the damn thing but it was a tough one, Keiko's tightly bandaged thigh a sign of that. They'd made reservations at a nice little restaurant in the city. Since most of the time, Inuyasha took off doing the shopping (he'd do anything to get out to greeting the shrine worshippers), Keiko's steadily growing bank account was quite full. She smiled as she put on her Checklet: "Account confirmed. Keiko Honda, you have thirty hundred fifty nine point four three UOCs."

Keiko giddily ran out to her Boba. Her mother had dropped it off earlier that day and it sat waiting on the side of the street. Dressed in a knee length black gown, Keiko firmly said no to Inuyasha's bike, opting for a less embarrassing ride to the fancy dining establishment. Inuyasha grumbled, annoyed with his attire and the freshly fastened concealment charm Keiko had made him. He hated concealing himself, usually opting for dark shades, tight lips, gloves and a hat to cover his demonic features. The stupid thing _itched_! And there was nothing he could do about it.

Keiko cheerily placed a hand on Boba, waiting for it to confirm her identity before allowing her to enter. Once inside, she scooted over to allow Inuyasha to join her before entering the address. Inuyasha's eyebrow twitched as the anti-gravity nano-machines lifted him into the air, the bubble surrounding them hovering slightly above the ground. 'Stupid fucking fancy pansy lazy ass humans and their fucking fake stuff and…' Inuyasha thought darkly. He deeply missed the old days when human didn't live in giant tanks built into the earth, when the natural air wasn't so polluted that all living beings were forced to hide in air-tight communities, where everything natural was replaced by holographic illusions. 'You're too old,' Inuyasha thought to himself, before glancing at the girl hovering next to him, the edge of her skirt lifting up to display creamy smooth skin that glowed in the odd mystical glitter of the nanobots. 'You're my only reason for living,' he thought gently.

They rode to the restaurant in content silence, each in his or her own thoughts of the previous year. This date celebrated their anniversary living together. It had been a long interesting year, full of adventures and surprises. Little did Keiko know, Inuyasha had one last surprise for her before they marked the end of a full year together.

Since their encounter in the laser tag arena, Inuyasha had deduced that Keiko wasn't fully aware of who she had been kissing, more like in complete denial. He noticed she was a little more jumpy around him, but she'd also told him of her encounter, insisting that she had no idea who it was. And he could smell the scent of lies. Keiko did, however, seem to crave alone time with him after all the chores and midnight assignments. Inuyasha's heart was dancing on clouds, 'soon! Oh so very soon!'

The dinner was nice, very little of anything interesting happened. She ordered pasta, he ordered steak. She wanted wine, he craved something harder. Towards the end he got a little jittery, 'is it really ok to spill now? Maybe I should give it more time… but hell, she was so welcoming in the arena, she's got to be ready!' Finally, they were ready to leave.

They reached the shrine, Inuyasha bounded up the long flight of stairs, idly commending Sesshy for the restoration of the shrine. Keiko stopped Inuyasha before reaching the final step. She sat down near the top and patted the ground next to her, her eyes liquid silver and glowing in the moonlight.

"I wonder what the real stars look like," she began, sighing and leaning on his shoulder, "They must have been beautiful."

Inuyasha smiled at her wistful voice. All her incarnates loved the stars, they loved them as though the stars could lift them up and make all her dreams come true. Keeping his voice soft, deep within his throat, he spoke softly, "They are."

Keiko shifted a little, remembering he'd been living long enough to see the pure unadulterated sky of ancient Japan. "Do you ever regret," Keiko started, "Making that wish?"

Inuyasha turned slightly to watch her face, "Why do you ask?"

Keiko fidgeted with her fingers. Not long after he'd come to stay with her, she knew she felt an attraction for the hanyou. After he'd told her his story, she felt depressed, knowing she couldn't stand a chance against Kagome, a woman he'd suffered for, bled for, and then shouldered the heavy weight of eternity for. Though Keiko had often wished, to this same artificially lit sky, that perhaps she could alleviate his hurt and trials. It hurt, to know that he would never feel for her the way she was beginning to feel, quite strongly, for him. It hurt, to know that he forced himself through the pain of centuries, a fruitless effort that could not bring him to his lost love. It hurt, to know that he was sitting there, right next to her, but his heart was elsewhere.

"You've been searching for so long," Keiko said, struggling to find the words to say, "It must be so hard, trying to keep looking for her, all those years…"

"It is really hard," Keiko jerked at the sound of his strong voice. She turned to see him staring at the sky, arms crossed and legs akimbo. He looked so serene, like he'd surrendered to a fate he didn't like. Keiko's heart thumped painfully in her chest, 'I've got no chance, huh?'

"I've wanted to give up several times," Inuyasha said after a small silence, recapturing her attention, "I've wanted to take the tetsaiga and slit my own throat, or maybe take poison, something sweet and painless. But each time I'd see her face, that silly smile and remember why I keep living."

Keiko's eyes began to burn. 'No!' she thought to herself, 'I'm not losing my heart! I'm not! It's just a crush, a passing, fleeting crush!' Yet, something inside wickedly laughed, 'It's not a crush, and you know it.'

Inuyasha glanced at Keiko before continuing. "I did find her," he said, ignoring Keiko's startled wet gasp, "I found her, 200 years after making my wish."

Keiko's voice cracked, "B-but… wasn't she supposed to be from… 500 years in the future?"

Inuyasha smiled a pained smile, "She was reincarnated as a young English woman."

Keiko's mind struggled to comprehend what he was telling her, no longer able to think about self-pity.

"Or rather, Kikyou was reincarnated as a young English woman. But she smelled more like Kagome," Inuyasha's teeth clenched, "But her soul wasn't ready to accept a hanyou yet. After finding out my heritage, she rejected me."

Keiko was at a loss for what to do. Watching silent tears well in his eyes but never fall, she felt her own heart break. Tentatively, as if afraid to break the spell of the night, Keiko gently wrapped her arms around the hanyou she loved.

"I almost killed myself right then, but I looked at her face and I didn't see Kagome. It was Kikyou, and I knew my wait was still going. I fled Japan, I couldn't handle all the familiar places we'd traveled to. I ran away to the new world, and 200 years after little English Kristin, I met Kitlali. She saved me."

Keiko's soft voice spoke up after a pause in the story, "From what?"

Inuyasha shifted, his body relaxing under her touch, "Myself."

The demon sighed, "When I met her, I was still ready to kill myself. Her face, her voice, everything haunted me. But, Kristin, her soul, it still rejected me, and I began to hear voices in my head, whispering suggestions like perhaps Kagome had sealed the well, known she would return to her time, and wanted nothing more to do with me. My heart knew it wasn't true, but the weight of it on my mind wouldn't lessen. Kitlali saved me. When I met her, I was too afraid her soul would reject me as well, but this time she had grown more, accepted more, and when I told her my story, then told her that I believed she housed the soul of my beloved, she smiled at me. That same smile that pulled me through so many battles in the past.

"I stayed with her and her tribe. I eventually learned to love her, without feeling disloyal to Kagome. But, Kitlali, she understood. Perhaps it was the stories she was taught as a child, or her grandfather's teachings as Medicine Man, but she understood. I could love her, and she could love me, but we lived a chaste life. Because she wasn't Kagome yet. She was a soul that was slowly shaping itself into Kagome.

"I watched her grow old, and I watched her die. I stayed with her the whole time, her family generously allowing me to stay with them. And then… and then I found Kagome."

Keiko's breath hitched in her throat. A tear trickled down her cheek as she waited for the timeless hanyou to continue. "I found her, a few days after she was pulled through the well, sobbing, hysterical, half starved, just like I was after she disappeared. And I fell in love with her all over again. It took her a while, but she grew stronger and brighter. I mated her, and with that, we forever bound our souls together. I made her a promise, that no matter what, I would find her, in the future, wherever she dared to be reincarnated. I would find her, fall in love with her, and live her life, by her side.

"I found Kiara in Italy, helped her conquer the world of opera. I dated, loved, and married Kelly in Maryland. Katerina and I braved World War III together. Kara picked apart my brain as a shrink while pushing me into medicine myself. Kayla was a gangster in California, probably the toughest cookie in the box, and for once, it was my turn to heal that beautiful soul. Kaitlin introduced me to the world of ballroom dance. Kosi and I raised children in Africa. Kagiso caught me before I left that tattered continent and we worked on AIDS prevention for most of her life. Khanna worked at a hanyou orphanage, tending all the little kid's and their birth defects, nature wasn't very kind to the mixed bloods. Kimberly, she sang like it could heal the world, and after the horrors in Africa, her innocent voice brought me back into a world that still held hope for the future. I loved all of them."

Keiko sat stone still, not knowing what to do or think. So he HAD found her, many times! Keiko slowly blinked her way back into reality, only to be startled the rest of the way when she noticed how intently Inuyasha's gaze fell on her.

"That was over fifty years ago," he said, "When she died, she promised she'd find me again, and she'd try to stay with me longer. Cancer took her away from me."

Keiko swallowed hard past the lump in her throat. Inuyasha stood suddenly, pulling her to her feet and leading her back into the house. He brought her up the stairs and into her room. Shutting the door, he approached her in the silent darkness. She began to shiver.

"Then, a few years ago, I met someone. A little high school girl with my mate mark on her neck."

Keiko squeaked and touched the birthmark she'd often tried to hide. Realization not quite dawning on her, Inuyasha continued.

"She was a tough little girl, but bright and warm and soft too. I bumped into her once, but it was too soon to really meet her. A year later, my brother called me and told me his newest miko needed protection, so he sent me to live with her. Imagine my surprise when I found the same little girl I bumped into at the mall."

He was drawing closer to her now. His eyes drilled holes into her, prying down, to somewhere deep inside. Keiko nearly collapsed when he wrapped his arms around her, turning her around and pulling her back into his stomach. Why did this embrace feel so familiar?

"She wasn't ready, not yet, to hear my full story. She didn't understand, but most of all, she didn't care for me, not yet, not the way I needed her to. So I waited, I protected her, and let her drag me around, as long as I was close to her, I knew I could wait forever until she was ready. Everyday, the same feeling as all those other times, sometimes I think it's a blessing to be able to fall in love over and over again, knowing it was the real thing."

Keiko suddenly tensed. Finding her voice, she put words to her latest realization as she turned in his arms, "It was you! Back at laser tag! You were the guy from the shadows…"

Inuyasha just leaned in closer, close enough for her to feel his hot breath against her birth mark, her mate mark, _his_ mate mark.

"Always and forever, first in the morning, last in the evening, my face and love only you shall see," Keiko's knees gave out and her breath came in erratic pants, "I love you, Keiko Honda."


	3. Extra: One Shot

Yes yes, I know – WHERE THE HELL HAVE I BEEN? Well, biomedical engineering is tough, I feel like I haven't slept at all this last school year AND now I have an internship keeping me busy AND I'm trying to finish my own original story (of which I'm thinking of pulling material out of this story for so I might take this one down – even though I REALLY like this one) but anyway, a short blurb I wrote a while ago and finally finished (I know, I know, the ending of this short feel really forced) BUT I'm not dead and I figured I'd post this to prove it

* * *

Here without You… again

By KittyKatz

* * *

A lonely white haired figure stood hunched beside a freshly dug grave. Fifteen years. Fifteen brief, fleeting, painfully short, aching years. How can Fate be so cruel? To force him back into loneliness so quickly after finding her again? The cancer ate her up, her body succumbing slowly, painfully. He was her angel, she'd said, "My beautiful everlasting Inuyasha. Always and forever, my Inuyasha."

The eternal inu-hanyou flinched as the pain in his heart clamped in his chest cavity. He felt the world blur, the darkness surround him again. His vision tunneled, blotted with unshed tears, staring straight at the tombstone.

'_Kimberly Harrison_

_Beloved Daughter, Cherished Wife_

_2919 – 2950_

"_Till next we meet…"'_

When will be the next time they meet? Inuyasha thought sadly, it would be another fifty years, at least. Blinking back tears, ignoring the jagged edged blade in his heart, he positioned his guitar before her. Images of her many faces flew through his mind: Khanna, her sweet tempered innocence just waking in the early morning sunshine; Kaitlin's lithe body dancing in the soft moonlight kicking up dew drops from the silver-lined grass, Kitlali's strong warm eyes through the smoky darkness of her teepee. Finally, the girl who'd started it all, Kagome, dark crystal grey eyes laughing into his, 'Always and Forever, My Inuyasha…"

Inuyasha tipped his head back to keep in his tears, the knife in his heart twisting painfully as he thought of the years he'll have to wait before finding her once more. Fingers moving automatically, his voice, rough from howling into the night, rose up in song,

"_A thousand years have made me older_

_Since the last time that I've saw your pretty face"_

He remembered her grey eyes flash in anger. "My name is Kagome. Ka-go-me!"

"_All those lives have made me colder _

_And I don't think I can look at this the same"_

He saw Kristin's terrified blue eyes round with horror, his blood pounding in his ears while she fainted dead away. He remembered her eyes, and how piercingly hot his own blood felt as he tore his own flesh, anything to alleviate the pain of her rejection.

"_But all the things had separate_

_They disappear now when I'm dreaming of your face"_

Kiara's face floated through his mind, eyes closed in concentration, her soul pouring out into the audience below. He watched her from the balcony, golden eyes shining with pride and love. Last note hanging on her lips, she turned in the middle of her aria and opened her eyes, staring directly at him, "Per sempre tua*."

The young man inhaled sharply before continuing, not caring what onlookers stopped to stare in awe of the 'poor boy' before his lover's grave.

"_I'm here without you baby_

_But you're still on my lonely mind_

_I think about you baby_

_And I dream about you all the time"_

In his mind he relived World War III. He remembered dragging a nearly unconscious Katerina to the ports, forcing Sango's old gas mask over her face. He smelled her tears pouring from her eyes as his eyes rolled back into his head, barely falling into the departure capsule in time to flee to Sesshoumaru's palace.

"_I'm here without you baby_

_But you're still with me in my dreams_

_And tonight it's only you and me"_

He remembered the beautiful African sunsets where he and Kosi would relish in a few shared moments of peace. Inuyasha saw the wildebeests on the Sahara, felt the heat of the sun, the gusts of sandy breezes and heard her heart beating close to his. When they coupled together under the desert sun, his howls roamed the dunes like a lion's roar fills the hot exotic moonlight.

"_The years just keep rollin'_

_As the people fade away to say hello"_

There was also Kikyou's haunting face, surfacing slowly from the depths of his memories. Bittersweet moments and fleeting touches. In his fragments of memory, he thought he could feel it, the pull of her soul trying to reach him, trying to tell him that the future will be alright.

"_I've heard this life is overrated_

_But I know that it gets better as we go_

Whenever they were together, shocks of pure undulated electricity sparked between them. Her angry face, full of spitfire and life bore holes through him. That life on the streets of California had sculpted her into a hard prickly ball of hellfire, not letting anyone close. Yet her eyes betrayed loneliness and he knew only he could soothe that. He enveloped her, nurtured the love in her soul that he knew still existed. Despite a lifetime of abuse, her sunny heart still spilled through to meet him, welcome him. Kayla was the first and only to show weakness, to display a life that needed rather than supported. And Inuyasha came to her like a beacon through a storm.

"_I'm here without you baby_

_But you're still on my lonely mind_

_I think about you baby_

_And I dream about you all the time"_

Kara's face rippled upward through the muddle of his mind. Her glasses did nothing to soften the sharpness of her eyes as she stared at him. For the first time, he was uncomfortable under her gaze – for the first time, he didn't feel any love from her eyes. Just cold plain curiosity, the attitude of a scientist preying down upon her lab rat. Kara took the longest. She was too straight minded, her eyes refused to stray beyond her career. Inuyasha's brows puckered as his sad face gave a half cracked smile, remembering their first night together. Oh the horror, he prayed he'd never have to deal with another psychiatrist ever again.

_I'm here without you baby_

_But you're still with me in my dreams_

_And tonight girl it's only you and me_

Whirling, his mind refused to stand still. His heart recalled Kagome, tearful and heart broken, trying to throw herself head first down into the well behind her house. He remembered coming in to find Mrs. Higurashi desperately clutching on to her daughter, Souta wailing for his sister to snap out of it. And then he'd appeared in front of her, grabbing her should, caught up in the emotional craze taking over her entire family.

"I'm here! I'm here now! And I won't ever leave you again," the worlds tumbled out of his throat, the last sentence a jumble as the girl threw herself into his arms sobbing, joy, pain, relief, there didn't seem to be a difference between such intense feelings when they bubbled over.

_Everything I know,_

_And anywhere I go_

_It gets hard but it won't take away my love_

Kagome's tired wrinkles eyes falling closed for the last time. Kristin's hard glare – the last thing he saw before blinded by pain and despair. Kosi's happy dark eyes taking all the children's worried faces as she sighed for the last time. Kara's stony, analyzing eyes melting with tenderness as they blinked through the haze of age pulling her consciousness away. Kayla sadly apologizing for having to leave him again, _"I'm sorry… so sorry, but I promise to love you when we meet again."_

_And when your eyelids fall,_

_When it's all said and done_

_It gets hard but it won't take away my love_

Kimberly, clean-shaven head resting on the hospital bed, too weak to even turn her neck to face him. The machine breathed for her and she was barely conscious enough to see him clearly. The beeping heart monitor echoed coldly in the silence and Inuyasha could only watch helplessly as his love suffered through the pain the tumor pressed upon her. _"Inuyasha…"_ her last words in this lifetime, _"Inuyasha… I love you, Inuyasha… My Inuyasha…"_

_I'm here without you baby_

_But you're still on my lonely mind_

_I think about you baby_

_And I dream about you all the time_

He could feel her, didn't know if it was his imagination or their connection. A thousand caresses from her many hands. Gentle, timid brushes; soft, soothing strokes, tracing the lines of his face and wrapping around his heart. Kim, Kimberly, my songbird. Her names rang within his head - Kagome, Kaitlin, Kagiso, Kikyou, Kiara, Kosi, Katerina, Kitlali... Kagome, Kagome, KAGOME...!

_I'm here without you baby_

_But you're still with me in my dreams_

_And tonight girl it's only you and me..._

The last chord rang through the suppressed air in the cemetery. As the sun slowly sank in the domed city, Inuyasha finally allowed the tears to flow, his white hair blowing around him like a halo, her presence surrounding him like an embrace, his future tumbling out before him like a river, never ending, never slowing, always running to her. Again and again.

* * *

* Italian (I think, correct me if I'm wrong!): Forever yours


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha

PS: This is my first time writing lemon/lime/raunchiness – whatever you call it…. I'm trying not to make it too awkward, but, it is written from the perspective of someone who can only imagine, so, sorry for any leaps from reality :P not that getting it on with a dog demon is in any way, shape or form real…

Love is forever, never does it die. Soul mates stick together, and never say goodbye.

Untitled Part III

By Kitty

He moved slowly – hypnotically – running rough, time hardened hands against her shoulders, arms, right down to the tips of her fingers. Keiko shivered under his touch. She watched as he lifted her hands in front of her, strangely disembodied as they loosely held his clawed digits. The heat from his body on her back was burning hot, yet hotter still, was the fire inside her chest. Keiko panted. Her knees were slack. The hanyou standing behind her was her only support at this point. She shivered again as his arms wrapped around her, squeezing her against his chest as if to absorb her. This is her other half, she realized, the missing part of her she never knew she'd lost. The new-age miko let her emotions rush over her, her spiritual powers pulsing in time with her heart. Fullness, a strange elated sensation that made her feel larger than the earth itself. It was love.

Inuyasha felt his body come alive with a fiery passion that had been secretly burning for decades. 'Keiko…' his mind practically purred her name, 'Keiko, Keiko, Keiko, Keiko, Keiko…'

Keiko turned in his embrace, as if responding to his heart's call. Inuyasha barely had time to register her change of position before her lips rose up to meet his in a bruising kiss. Two fires, melding into one, Inuyasha and Keiko sank to the ground beside the bed, both no longer in possession of the strength it took to stand. The boy whimpered, ears instinctively lying back as Keiko slowly dominated the kiss. Tears were forming in his tightly closed eyes and relief and joy battled desire and passion in his heart. Finally, he had his mate.

'My mate,' Inuyasha growled inside his head. The thought sent a surge of fire through his system, making him rise up, forcing Keiko to crane her neck lest she break contact with him. 'My mate,' Inuyasha thought again, gently pushing her onto her back. "My mate," Inuyasha growled into her ear, sending a rippling of shivers up her spine. "My mate…" Inuyasha said again, over his mate mark, feeling heat pool under his lips. "Mine…"

Keiko couldn't grasp reality. Where was up and down? She could feel Inuyasha's hot breath against her neck and swooned as blood and pleasure practically boiled outward from that spot, washing over her collar bone and over her chest. The heat flowed outward still, making her nipples erect and washing lower to collect in a secret place between her legs. "Mine…" she heard him voice. The heat pulsed as if alive, conceived from the love between her and her Inuyasha. She wanted to feel him. All of him.

Inuyasha grunted in surprise when Keiko's arms snaked behind his back and pulled him down to crush the petite girl beneath him. He tried to support his body weight to at least allow her to breathe but she was having none of it. Flush chest to chest, every rolling growl, ever uttered moan was conveyed with touch, reverberating between each other in a closeness that seemed surreal. Growing frustration at the last barrier between the two of them, Keiko finally relinquished his nearness in order to bring her hands to his chest, pulling and tugging at his shirt, wishing to simply tear the nuisance away.

Inuyasha's chuckle turned into a purring growl when her fingers found the sculpted marble of his chest. Reaching for his collar, his claws raked down the front of the shirt, giving Keiko full access to his chest and abs. She wasted no time committing his body to memory, the lines and scars oddly familiar as well as the moans and growls emanating from it.

The virgin girl gasped with embarrassment when a strange object began to pulse and nudge insistently against her thigh [AN: my god if my mother reads this…]. Inuyasha's movements paused when he felt her stiffen. 'Is she not ready yet?'

The dog demon gently lifted himself off of her a few inches, watching her face intently. Keiko couldn't seem to make eye-contact with him and the raging fire inside him wavered. "Inuyasha…"

He whimpered with need, the demon inside him practically ripping its way out, demanding to be satisfied. Instead, he slowly moved to stand, bringing the furiously blushing girl with him. She still kept her head down, shy, flustered. 'Take her… Take her now!' the demon blood howled, the scent of her arousal drugging him.

"I-I…" Keiko struggled to speak. Inuyasha stopped her with a hand gently caressing her cheek. He looked down at her with warm amber eyes and sighed, offering her a lopsided smile.

"I can wait," he said seriously, mentally beating his inner demon into submission, "I will always wait for you, and that's something you can always, always, count on."

Keiko swallowed with difficulty, her heart throbbing with a bittersweet joy. She heard the dry rasp in his voice and saw the wonton desire inside those expressive golden eyes – eyes that saw so much, and suffered so many horrors. 'My poor Inuyasha,' she cried inside her head.

It was more though, that had made her embarrassed and hesitant. There was a strange fire engulfing her heart that made her want strange things. She wanted to touch him, to feel him. She wanted to rake her nails across his back and hear him howl her name. Her chest ached with a need so purely primal she shocked herself out of the moment. 'How do I get it back?' she thought.

Inuyasha was moving away, his self-control dangerously close to slipping. Keiko's hands tightened on the remnants of his shirt, making him look back at her face. She lifted her stormy gray eyes to his. Tears swam in them, making her eyes shimmer in the moonlight.

"I'm scared," Keiko admitted, dropping her gaze back to his chest, "I've… I've never felt like this before…"

She swallowed hard, mustering up some courage, any courage. Inuyasha brought his hands up to hers, gently pulling them off his torn shirt and backing away slowly. His actions brought out an innate response in Keiko, her inhibitions suddenly diminished at the thought of losing his warmth.

"No!" she cried, "I-It's not that I'm not ready…"

Keiko grabbed his two hands in hers, jerking her head up to stare into his eyes, fear and desire so strongly present in them, Inuyasha felt his waning arousal literally spring back into position.

"I… I never wanted this before," Keiko said, struggling to clarify, "I… kind of scared myself… with what I actually want to do…" Keiko ducked her head, "It's kind of embarrassing…"

Inuyasha smiled down at the top of her head. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about," he said to her. Leaning down so that his breath would brush against her ear, he whispered softly, more like a husky rumble from deep inside his chest, "Now tell me, what is it exactly that you want?"

Keiko leaned towards him, relishing the tickling sensation against her ear. Trust. The safety and security of that grounding emotion slowly loosened her body, relaxed her, until she was ready to say it.

"I want to be one with you, Inuyasha."

It couldn't have happened at a worse time. A loud bang and then the sound of shattering glass alerted them to the intruder. Neither moved for a good two seconds, trying to kick their minds back into gear and register the meaning of the racket they were hearing. Demons. On the Shrine grounds. And very quickly nearing the house.

Inuyasha's eyes flashed, rage and frustration suddenly reaching a record setting maximum. Keiko went rigid in his arms, hardly believing what was happening. Outside they heard a triumphant shout, "That soul is mine!"

The young miko paled. Inuyasha could smell the fear and shock rolling off of her. Before she had time to realize it, the dog demon had dashed out the window, ready to wreak pain and retribution to those that dared interrupt him, _tonight_ of all nights.

It was the sounds of battle that drew Keiko into action. The sound of tearing flesh and cries of death finally settled the gears back into place and her body moved automatically. Grabbing the small handgun in her nightstand, Keiko ran to the window.

Blood sprayed as his claws tore through the rancid flesh. His eyes flashed red as he allowed his frustrated, raging demon to the surface. 'Interrupt me and my mate will you,' the demon growled, 'Fucking cock-block me will you…'

It was the smell of her fear that finally pulled him out of his red hazed anger. Pausing, Inuyasha glanced up to see Keiko's wide-eyed form in the window. She stared beyond him as a shadow rose up to block out the moon. _His_ stench hit the hanyou's nose like a ton of bricks. Inuyasha's eyes were as wide as Keiko's, and he stood stone still, unwilling to turn around to confirm what his nose was telling him.

"It's been a while, Inuyasha," the deep sinister voice rumbled from behind him. Inuyasha swallowed, finally turning to face the threat.

"Not long enough, Naraku."

'_Naraku?'_ Inuyasha had said. Keiko stood frozen at the window, a useless firearm hanging like dead weight in her hands. One look at his red eyes, one rolling sensation of the dark miasma falling off of him like sand, the hatred and blackness petrified her. Keiko had faced many things in her life, but this was definitely _not_ something she could handle. _'Naraku?_ The very same nemesis that haunted the Shikon no Tama legend?' Keiko's mind keened, 'Impossible! He was defeated!'

When the dark tentacled monster moved before her, she flinched, already imagining the pain his claws were about to inflict. But it wasn't her retched cry that spilled out into the night. Keiko's heart turned cold when she saw Inuyasha, impaled through the middle, weakly clawing at the inky arm that had run him through. It was his voice that woke her.

"INUYASHA!" Keiko's arms never moved so quickly. Off with the safety, cock, aim, fire. Naraku grunted in surprise to see his arm separate from his body. Inuyasha crumpled to the ground with a moan. His soft curses were stillborn in his throat as yet another tentacle punctured his body. This time, Inuyasha found himself skewered to the God Tree, his shoulder bleeding in rivers as the fire of pain burned through every nerve in his mind.

"YAAAAAAAHHHHH…"

Tears blinded her. Keiko could no longer see enough to aim. Both her hands clenched at her windowsill and she screamed defiance to the scene in front of her. Tapping into a power she'd never used before, all her senses, her anger and hate, focused on the monster in front of her house. She didn't need her sense of sight to find him; his tainted spirit was more than enough. Right as she threw the power she'd gathered at her target, Naraku's deep chuckle filled the night air.

"That's quite a display, little girl," he said calmly, the smile undeniable in his voice, "Until next time, Kagome."

When the light from her holy powers faded, Keiko looked down to see an unconscious Inuyasha lying crumpled beneath the God Tree. Unwilling to let him out of her sight, she leaped out the window to the ground, rolling to avoid injury and raced to him, her tears and hiccupping wails sounding hollow in the nighttime air.

It was a strange silence that filled the atmosphere. Empty, void-like, Keiko tentatively called his name.

"Inuyasha?"

He didn't move. Not a muscle flinched.

"Inuyasha?" Keiko whispered desperately, her sobs choking in her throat. She was almost afraid to touch him. Her heart lodged in the back of her mouth. Was he breathing? It was hard to tell from his prone position. His wounds were still bleeding profusely and she knew she should be trying to stop the flow. Finally, her mind was able to coax movement from her limbs and she moved to stroke her hanyou's face. It was cool, clammy, not the warm, firm skin it should have been. Keiko stopped breathing. She stopped seeing. In that growing puddle of deep red blood, Keiko couldn't find the strength to do more than kneel there before the God Tree, gently stroking Inuyasha's limp face.

It rose slowly, inside of her. A strange wellspring of conviction, determination. There was a strength and a power she'd never known before and she felt it growing, bubbling to the surface, as if called by the scent of the hanyou's blood. Somewhere deep down, Keiko knew what it was. How much of his pain had she witnessed and soothed across the centuries? How much of his blood had splashed across her hands as she tended his wounds?

The spirit of Kagome that slept inside of her gently rose up to sooth the burning in Keiko's heart. As if telling her it would be alright, Kagome urged her into motion, tenderly shifting Inuyasha's position so she could use whatever cloth was at her disposal to stem the flow of blood. Tightly binding his chest and shoulder with his torn shirt and her own, she struggled to stand under his weight, muscles burning as she dragged him into the house.

He roused to what felt like a jackhammer ramming away at his skull. A disoriented sense of sight and sound made his temples pulse in response to his sudden motion to sit up. Smell, his nose slowly began to work, seeking out the stench of his age-old arch enemy, muscles sore and taught, trying to prepare for the next attack.

A soft hand gently touched his arm; another cupped his face. Her sent washed over him as his eyesight cleared and the most beautiful thing in the world appeared in front of him.

"Lay back," Keiko said soothingly, happy tears welling in the corners of her eyes to see him seemingly spring back to life. "Lay back and rest. Your wounds will open if you keep moving."

Wounds. Wounds from Naraku. How many centuries ago was the last time he was wounded by that irritating monster? Inuyasha sank back into the soft pink sheets, realizing suddenly that he was in fact in _her_ bed.

Inuyasha grunted with effort, "Why am I in your bed?"

Keiko gave him a pointed look, and then sighed. "Yours wasn't even made. Where on earth do you sleep normally? On the floor?"

Inuyasha's ears twitched slightly, remembering that minor detail. He took a breath and glanced to the side.

"Well… It's hard to sleep in an empty bed when your mate's not with you…" he grumbled under his breath. Keiko, by now used to his habit of muttering, heard him and her brow furrowed sadly. She gently cradled his cheek in her hands, smoothing his hair and running a thumb under the curve of his bottom lip. She bent down and kissed those lips, then bit her own in an effort not to cry.

"I thought I was going to lose you," Keiko said softly. Inuyasha put a clawed hand over her own, pressing her hand against his face and drawing it under his nose in order to place a chaste kiss on her palm.

"After all these years," he said, aiming for a light, drawling tone, "you should know by now that there's no way I'm leaving you."

Keiko's lips twitched in a brief smile before sobering again. She gazed down at Inuyasha, biting the inside of her cheek. Inuyasha sensed the change in her emotions and glanced up at her.

"What?" he asked, head cocked to one side, ears swiveled to focus solely on her. Keiko watched him carefully before speaking.

"I met Kagome."

"… What?" Inuyasha coughed as the exclamation sent shooting stars of pain from his belly. Keiko rushed to check his bandages but was stopped by a pair of shaking hands. Inuyasha drew a short breath and asked again.

"What?"

"I met Kagome." Keiko ducked her chin, glancing to the sides before finally bringing her eyes back to meet his.

"When you were unconscious under the God Tree, half dead and bleeding, I didn't know what to do," she explained, "I was panicking, I thought you were going to die. I was so scared."

Keiko moved to sit down on the bed beside him. She rubbed her fingers against each other, uncertainty and nervousness making them cold.

"Then something sort of came up inside of me, almost like a memory. It was like something else was in my body. I was so panicky, I just let it take control. It did everything, took care of you, as if patching up wounds like that was something it did everyday…"

Inuyasha sank back into the sheets with a sigh. Keiko could feel the trembling in his fingers as he hung onto them, knuckles white, almost painfully tight. She watched him carefully. He said he loved her, chased after her, and would follow her into eternity. But it was really Kagome he chased after… right?

The demon in her bed inhaled deep into his chest, calming his mind. He glanced down at the bandages tightly holding his wounds closed and relaxed his grip on Keiko's small hands. A small smile touched the edges of his lips as his thoughts leaped from place to place in his head. 'Kagome…'

"It wasn't Kagome," Inuyasha said finally. Keiko frowned and glanced away. She felt absolutely certain the spirit that rose up to care for him was that long ago lover.

"It wasn't just Kagome," he clarified, "It was you all the way."

The girl beside him shifted, and swallowed hard before speaking. "What do you mean? I've definitely never had to deal with anything like this. I was going into shock! It was like I couldn't breathe! I really thought you were going to die! I –"

Inuyasha took her hands and pulled her so he could bring a clawed finger to her lips. The rough gesture was softened when his hand moved to caress her check, his thumb rubbing soothing circles to help her calm down.

"Kagome would never have known how to tie a bandage wrap like this," Inuyasha said, "Nor would she know about that particular remedy in dealing with blood loss." He gestured to that familiar brew steaming on the nightstand beside him. Keiko looked at the mug, its aroma striking a strangely recognizable chord. She was positive she'd never made it before, yet always kept a fully armed cupboard brimming with the herbs and supplies that went into the tea. She frowned in confusion.

"They are you," Inuyasha said softly, "Every one of your lives still live in you. You're the culmination of wisdom from every reincarnation. It's that inner strength that I love most about you. That, and your amazingly boundless capacity for love and forgiveness."

Keiko's brow remained furrowed, a strange mix of dejection and confusion etched into her features. The half demon narrowed his eyes, watching her closely.

"And don't you dare say that it's not _you_ I love but your previous incarnations or Kagome. Even people in normal relationships and marriages change and evolve over time. Some break apart and some get closer. I like to say that I happen to keep falling more and more in love with the growing, changing you. Look at me, Keiko."

Keiko bit the inside of her cheek, tears forming in her eyes and tried not to lock eyes with his golden ones. With his hand still stroking her cheek, she had little choice but to meet his gaze. Those gold, amber eyes always saw straight through her, it wasn't fair!

_I love you, Keiko._

That's what those eyes said. Inuyasha reemphasized his unspoken words with a verbal vow, "I love the present you, Keiko. I loved you in the past, and I know I will love you in the future. Regardless of what name you go by, what skin you wear, or who's family you're born into. I love you."

The tears finally spilled over and the fierceness in his gaze softened, emotions still swimming with painstaking clarity in those golden depths. Keiko held his hand against her cheek, and then brought it to her lips. Kissing his palm roused the sleeping demon within him and he growled at his current state of weakness, wishing he had the strength to reach out and hold her tight in his arms. Keiko returned his hand in order to press the sweet smelling tea into them.

"Drink it before it gets cold," she said gently, "It's late; I'll use your room tonight."

Keiko stopped rising when his hand gripped her arm. She looked down into his face and had to smile. _Why the abandoned look, Inuyasha?_

"Stay with me tonight?" Inuyasha said, almost a whisper. Keiko almost laughed at his uncharacteristic childishness. She looked at the small bed and almost said no, but his eyes held hers again and she knew she couldn't refuse.

"Let me wash up, I'll be right back."

Satisfied with her answer, Inuyasha let go of her arm and focused on the liquid in front of him, memories of sub-Saharan Africa floating through his brain. The smell of Kosi's secret recipe reminded him of rough nights in the most war torn regions of that tattered continent. So many orphans… His brooding was interrupted when Keiko reentered the quite room and she silently turned off the light. Her scent embraced him before she even touched the bed and all that was heard was the soft rustling of the welcoming sheets as she crawled in to lie beside him. For the first time in over 5 decades, Inuyasha was able to sleep beside his mate. Finally, everything was right in the world.

"Run, Coral, Run!"

Coral leapt gracefully into the air to pluck the ball in mid-flight and made a mad dash to the end zone. It was obvious to anyone watching that she was an athlete, her entire body honed for speed and agility. Merlin took the briefest of moments to admire her pumping legs and slim, sturdy body before taking off after her. Inuyasha tried to position himself in front of her, prepared to tackle her to the ground while Keiko screamed encouragements from behind, fighting desperately to catch up and help block the boys. The half-demon made a dive for Coral's legs and she smirked. It was what she was waiting for, Inuyasha always ended up making a decisive action that left little room for adaptive changes in mid-attack. One couldn't win battles that way. Using remnants of skill from her days in gymnastics, Coral launched herself into the air, flipping over herself and clutching the football protectively against her stomach. With a graceful two-footed landing Coral grinned triumphantly down at the two boys, Merlin having tripped over the white haired, muddy boy before he could stop himself. Keiko came running up behind them.

"Yeah! TOUCHDOWN!" she shouted, jogging past the boys to slap high-fives with her best friend.

"Uugh… Get offa me!" a smothered voice below Merlin growled angrily. Mer heavily rolled off of the grumbling hanyou and stood up.

"Best five out of nine?" he asked. The girls were having a winning streak (playing dirty of course…). Coral stuck her tongue out at her boyfriend, and then slapped him lightly across the cheek when he told her to save it for tonight. Keiko was about to take him up on the offer but noticed a splash of red across Inuyasha's abdomen.

"Inuyasha, sit down," Keiko said, worriedly pulling up his shirt to examine the bandages underneath.

"Damn," Coral whispered, "What happened to you?"

Keiko's mouth open and closed a few times, not sure how to answer the question. Inuyasha, used to coming up with excuses for inexplicable injuries, spoke up quickly, "Tripped and impaled myself."

Merlin whistled as Keiko's gentle hands uncovered the red-stained bandages. She frowned before reaching for her duffle bag, pulling out first aid supplies. Coral peeked over Inuyasha's shoulder, eyes wide with surprise and worry.

"What on earth did you fall on?" she said. Inuyasha grunted as Keiko removed the bandages. His wounds had healed quickly, the only reminders of that awful night was the gnarled black scab gradually closing up on his torso.

"Stupid pole – gyah!" Inuyasha yelped in pain, glaring at Keiko as she pressed an alcohol soaked gauze square against the flaking scab. Keiko stuck her tongue out at him.

"What's wrong, tough guy?" she said, the mocking in her voice was tempered by the concern in her eyes. Inuyasha rolled his eyes before stretching up to kiss her jaw. Coral and Merlin exchanged glances before joining the couple.

"So Keiko…" Coral began, a sly tone in her voice, "When did you and Inuyasha become an item?"

Keiko's blush reached her hairline and she sputtered. Inuyasha coughed a little, taking the ends of the bandage wrap from her hands to finish tying himself up. Coral and Merlin both laughed at their friends' expense and moved to gather up their towels and bags.

"Come on guys," Merlin chimed, "Let's go grab something to eat. We can't continue the game with Inuyasha all bloody now can we?"

"Bah, I'm fine," Inuyasha protested while being led away. Keiko cooed patiently to him, "Of course you are…" while Sango poked Merlin in the ribs, demanding that losers treat the winners. None in the group except for Inuyasha was aware they were being watched. The blood red eyes of the wind demon narrowed, watching her enemies from so long ago leave the park. She fanned herself lazily, intrigued by the reunion. _I must report back to Sesshoumaru_, she thought to herself, _he would know what this means…_

Inuyasha's white ears lay back, intently listening to the movements of the hidden demon in the trees. When he heard her fan flick, the hanyou involuntarily flinched, familiar with what often follows. A strong gust of wind tore through the park as Kagura gracefully rode her feather away. Inuyasha sighed, relaxing, _At least she's on our side now…_

The dog hanyou refocused his ears in the direction he was heading. The artificial sunlight was beginning to fade and he felt his shoulders stiffen slightly, thinking back to the real sunsets and nights he'd lived through. Ageless, he may be, but eternal life had its surprising upsides. Though Inuyasha failed to grow in physical strength, he did grow in other ways. Wisdom, and a few sparse bursts of profound insight occasionally struck the long-lived hanyou, and this was one of those moments. _The world is dying_, his infrequently observant mind told him. _The world is dying… Time is on the cusp of change._

Inuyasha pulled Keiko's arms around his waist as they settled atop his motorcycle, ready to follow Merlin and Coral to the diner. The wind around him seemed restless. There was a tickling sensation in his veins. Things were about to change, and it is that unforeseeable event that had him on edge. A clawed hand tightened its grip around the soft fists of the girl clinging to his back. Anxiety nagged at his chest. The only thing his mind could focus on as they sped through the immaculately kept streets was Keiko. _Keiko, Keiko, Keiko_.

The Western Lord's eyes narrowed, listening to Kagura's report. Imperceptible from the surface, the old dog demon's mind whirled like a hurricane about to crash onto shore. He'd sensed it before, the shifting of the winds. Whenever her soul returns to the mortal world, a similar burst of activity occurs – a change in directions, a new scent in the air. Wind in the demon realm bore a special trait. Wind was the agent of change here, and in the last century, he'd felt it become more insistent, more turbulent, like a dragonet eager to test its wings in flight. And here was Kagura, born of the wind itself, reporting on the wind's effects in the human world. Visions from the past arose in his mind, shaking off dust and dirt, appearing fuzzy at first before materializing to surprising clarity before him. A female demon slayer, an anomaly in her profession, wields her giant boomerang with graceful ease. A traveling monk, cursed by evil and consumed by perverse thoughts, bravely fights beside the hanyou, despite the odds. These figures had never returned from the pages of history in such faithful form to their previous lives until now. This was a sign, too blaring to miss, and Sesshoumaru missed nothing, not since he became the Guardian of Time, a secret responsibility his esteemed father bore before him.

"Leave me," Sesshoumaru's deep baritone voice reverberated the walls, its source indiscernible. Kagura shivered unconsciously. Though Sesshoumaru by many standards was aged for a demon, he yet bore his youthful appearance and strength. Even she was beginning to see and feel the effects of time. Her once flashing ruby eyes now bore a slight sheen of age. Furrows in her brow have long since stopped smoothing away after frowning. She almost feared the day she would no longer be useful to the great demon lord. Sesshoumaru's deep amber eyes only seemed to grow in depth and wisdom, never once losing their crystalline sharpness. The rash, proud dog with the raging power of an angry forest fire had since cooled to the cold, distant strength of the mountain, permanent, wise, impenetrable.

Kagura bowed lightly before lightly exiting the room, eager to visit the bathhouse in the great castle, to soak in the essences of punished humans and to absorb strength from the sinners doomed to suffer eternity in the hell pits of this realm. The cruel beauty treatments that can be accessed by the highest levels of the demon nobility are open to her as a private agent of Lord Sesshoumaru and she was grateful for their unique services. She left Lord Sesshoumaru to brood over the unsettling chain of events occurring in the human world.

Things were difficult in this world, much more difficult. With the toxic abyss outside preventing him from running free of the domed shelter, it was difficult indeed to seek out refuge within the synthetic human world. Naraku's inky tentacles raked over the corpses of this victim, a most unsatisfying meal. In the long abandoned labyrinth of escape routes and old subway stations beneath the city, he was able to recuperate, granted uncomfortably. He had no doubt his presence on the surface had triggered a cascading chain reaction which would ultimately end in a death hunt for his head. He must regain his strength.

Naraku grunted, disgust plainly written across his face. That damned little miko had grown powerful. Way too powerful. And yet, it pleased him, to know that Kikyou's soul had blossomed so well. Kagome… she had truly achieved magnitudes more than her previous incarnate had been able to. She had defeated him in a past life, and then had gone on to return time and time again in order to grow this strong.

Well that certainly isn't fair. Naraku slowly stretched his regenerating body, an odd pulse starting somewhere in his gut. The evil demon looked down in surprise, and then grinned. Kagome may have become stronger, but so had he. He didn't know exactly when he had gained consciousness in this world, why he had been brought back. He didn't remember this current body's last memories, why several hundreds of demons in this time had decided on a merger. He didn't know what has happened between that epic battle so many ages ago, or why he had the Naraku of the past's memories. But he did know one thing. That girl, this Keiko, the latest iteration of Kikyou, he wanted her. He needed her. The undeniable draw of her strength, her power, her warmth. He'd felt it while he lay dormant in the Shikon no Tama shortly after battle with that damned dog hanyou. It was magnetic, addictive, enslaving. Souls of that caliber did not arise often. She outshone them all. Significantly greater than his need to collect the jewel shards, several times more than his ache to possess Kikyou, he desired Keiko with every fiber, every ounce of his being. And this time, he wouldn't allow Inuyasha to take what he wanted away from him.

Coral stretched lazily, pushing her back against the strong, toned muscles of her boyfriend's abs. Merlin grunted, enjoying the sensation of her soft, female backside pressing up against him. She giggled and turned to flick him on the nose.

"I think I'm gonna make some dinner," she said, purposefully pressing her elbows closer to each other, watching as Merlin struggled to keep his gaze on her eyes. "Anything you had in mind?"

The boy before her swallowed before answering a quick, "Anything's good." He wished for nothing more than to pull her supple body into his arms and explore the well-mapped expanse of her skin. But no, he sighed, defeated, as punishment for again allowing his hands to wander to the ample backside of some young blonde, he must endure until Coral decided to forgive him.

Coral closed the door to the bedroom, the boiling anger from earlier abating slightly. Suddenly inspired by the hanging apron at the doorway to the kitchen, she reopened the door to Merlin's room a crack, and pulled off her top and bra, letting the articles of clothing slip suggestively to the grown on the inside. The shifting on the bed told her he was paying attention. She unzipped her jeans and allowed them to join her shirt on the ground. The lacy white panties stayed on. Coral reached for the apron, her skin tingling slightly in the sudden exposure to the cool air. After fastening the straps of the apron and pulling her hair up so that a few tempting locks gently framed her face and danced down her back, she pushed open the door, giving her boyfriend full view of her veiled nudity.

"Woman, you'll be the death of me," Merlin's lust-filled voice said from the room. Coral flashed a wicked smile before turning her back and heading for the kitchen, leaving her poor, restrained boyfriend tied spread eagle to the bed, due punishment for his earlier behavior. She wasn't afraid, oddly, about her boyfriends perverted behavior, even with her ire at his roving hands. It was a strange feeling, a knowing, that she didn't have to fear infidelity from this young man. Despite all the ups and downs, the soliciting of sexual favors from every female he passed, the hands that continued to find the rumps of passing women, she _knew_ he still remained faithful to her and her alone. He'd told her once, that he felt similar things about her, that she was meant for him, in spite of such different personalities.

_Soulmates._

That's what he'd called them. Inuyasha and Keiko, too. Merlin said they were soulmates. She shook her head before popping a frozen lasagna meal into the microwave, her culinary skills limited to the butchery of the game animals she and her father used to bring home for her mother to take care of. With the limited resources in the domed habitat, game hunting became outlawed many years ago and she dearly missed hunting with her now deceased father. Merlin, on the other hand, had been vegetarian when they first met. His parents were both deceased and he'd been raised by the neighborhood temple monk of questionable morals.

The older tomboy couldn't have believed that a rough and tumble daughter of an ex-military general would end up so in love with a pacifist pervert like Merlin. It was really Keiko that had smoothed their hard edges and allowed the two to really get close to each other. She really was the glue that formed their group and the buffer when things got choppy. Coral loved Keiko like her own sister, and she knew Merlin did, too. It was that unexplained trust again, a sort of knowing, deep inside your gut. She knew from the start that Keiko could be trusted, not only with secrets, but with her life as well. And Coral also knew that she would give her life to save Keiko's, just like she would for Merlin, just like he would for either of them. It was a given.

Coral shrugged, those deep thoughts were better suited for Merlin's twisted mind to ponder through. _I'm just glad she's found someone, soulmate or not_, Coral thought, before returning to the bedroom, meaty lasagna torture prepared for the still, rather vegetarian young man within.

The tall lone figure stood at his desk, gazing solemnly out at the calm serenity before him. The night was clear and crisp this evening and Sesshoumaru closed his eyes momentarily to absorb the calm of the night. The moon's silver glow glistened in his hair, creating a halo around him. In his moments of weakness, when the rare unexpected surprise stirred confusion in his usually omniscient mind, he would remember her. Her soft hands, her small body, her gentle caress and kind eyes. Yes, even the proud demon lord had a secret haven to take shelter in when his burdens grew to heavy to bear. When Rin's human soul left the mortal realm to dance and meld with the countless souls in the afterlife, Sesshoumaru's heart felt, for the first time, the pain of life, the deep, sorrowful thing that we call living, at once the ugliest and most beautiful creation in the universe. That was the catalyst, a baptism of sorts, the initiation rights that changed him from simply Lord of the Western Lands, to the Guardian of Time, the omniscient being that was responsible for balance.

Sesshoumaru took a deep breath, his nighttime thoughts leading him back to that resonating memory. It was one of the rare times he'd wept. He'd watched her bloom into womanhood, and then watched her descend into age. Never before her eyes had he allowed emotions to rack his face, stubborn as he was. But when she finally passed, knowing nothing could be done short of turning her into a marionette to bring her back, that banished the last tendrils of stubborn, emotional wall separating him from his tears and he silently mourned her death, tear drops falling to her old wrinkled face. It was then that his father reappeared before him.

_Now you finally understand, my son_

Sesshoumaru could still feel the weight of his father's words pressing down upon him. It drove him to his knees, the raw power of his father's strength made his ears bleed. Nevertheless, he refused to look away and held his father's eyes.

_For such a small human girl to be a catalyst…_

His father had laughed. How terrible the laughter, bittersweet and all too loud for the tender flesh of his ears. He could still feel the vibrating sound strike his body like a drummer strikes his drum. Somehow, he managed to summon the strength to greet his father.

"Good evening, Esteemed Father," Sesshoumaru had said. The closeness of Rin's death had broken the edge of his voice. It was with new eyes that he beheld his father. New eyes, prepared to learn.

_Sesshoumaru, my first son. Why do you think I bestowed Tensaiga to you?_

The demon looked inward, back on his years training, struggling, with the sword. He thought of the times he used it, and couldn't use it, and felt he had the right answer.

"To teach me compassion," Sesshoumaru said, his usual stoic voice creeping back. The once icy golden eyes retained the film of recently shed tears and the pain was still painted across his face. His father shrugged a little, nodding slightly.

_Yes, that was one reason. But I had intended you to learn more. Tell me Sesshoumaru, what has the Tensaiga taught you?_

This time, Sesshoumaru finally looked away from his father, down at the woman lying before him. He contemplated her life, and how it changed him. He contemplated Tensaiga's urgings whenever he dealt with her. When he spoke, his voice was soft, with more emotion any living being had ever heard in the great demon lord's voice.

"I have learned that life is fragile, and that it rises and ebbs like the tide. It must be filled, with both laughter and tears. I learned that everything must have its opposite, for it is only by knowing pain, that one may know pleasure. Duality, that is what Tensaiga taught me."

Sesshoumaru lifted his eyes to behold his father once again, surprised to see the demon smiling. He'd never once seen his father smile, not even in the scant times he'd encountered him while fighting with and against in younger brother.

_Yes, every yin must have its yang. You have done well, my son. It is time for you to bear yet one more burden. You will become Time's Guardian. You will watch over life, and guide destiny. You are now Keeper of the Balance. It was a duty entrusted to me in my time. Now, I bestow it upon you. I failed my duty, and I am afraid you must finish what I could not. Restore the duality, Sesshoumaru. The fates are determined in this decision. You are both blessed and cursed in this, for you are not permitted to fail. Time has gone long enough with uneven scales. You are not permitted to find rest until this duty is complete._

His father's face, which had hardened into a scowl, again softened, gazing down at his son. He gently reached out and placed a glowing, translucent palm atop Sesshoumaru's head, rekindling memories of a time when father and pup traveled together, learning to fight and spare beside his father.

_You are not alone in this duty. Inuyasha will also play his part, as will his intended. I am sorry and ashamed to leave behind such a mess for my own sons to clean up._

Again, the departed demon lord's face turned cold. Sesshoumaru braced himself instinctively. And then, in a thundering voice shook the younger demon to his very bones, his father spoke unto him.

_Sesshoumaru, my son, Demon Lord of the Western Lands, hear this and accept this edict. You will be the Guardian of Time, Keeper of the Balance. You will guide the paths of fate and restore harmony to our universe. You will not seek escape from this responsibility; even death will be denied you until the scales are restored. _

The pressure on his head began to lessen. Sesshoumaru looked up to see the fading image of his father smiling down at him once again.

_Be strong, my son._

And then he was gone.

It has been a long time since then. Sesshoumaru still didn't understand everything his father had told him, but he tried his best with the instructions given. He saw that humans and demons could no longer live together in harmony so he separated the realms. He watched and he took note of the events that surrounded him. He adapted and changed the course of history in both the demon world and the human one. And all the while, he carefully watched his brother.

Sesshoumaru pinched the bridge of this nose. By now he could begin to see the edges of what his father meant. His Esteemed Father had failed somewhere. The scales were tipped, the world was out of harmony. And the seeds of which were sown many years before the epic conclusion to his younger brother's journey in the Sengoku Jidai. But what were those seeds?

The demon took a sharp fortifying breath. The pieces were there, and the uncanny reproduction of an event that occurred 1500 years ago was too blatant to ignore. If he were to take the obvious explanation, then he knew what he must do next. A clawed hand decidedly reached for the tiny button.

"Jaken, come to my study."

"Immediately, my lord!" the eager reply resounded, too loud for the peacefully solemn room. Sesshoumaru remained standing, face unreadable as he mentally arranged his next actions. When the old, limping toad demon finally emerged, Sesshoumaru was ready.

"What can I do for you, Lord Sesshoumaru?" Jaken inquired. Over the years, Jaken had grown less and less formal around his demon master. For some reason, Sesshoumaru forgave the breach in formality. Jaken's wizened old head was littered with age spots now, and his hip bothered him greatly. Yet he stubbornly demanded to remain in the service of his un-aging master, no matter the consequence. Perhaps that was why Sesshoumaru couldn't find the resolve to be hard on the little green demon in the way that he used to be.

"Fashion an official summons for the two humans, Yamamoto Merlin and Arakaki Coral. They will be brought to me no later than the next quarter moon. That is all."

Jaken bowed, not bothering to inform Sesshoumaru that the next quarter moon was in only two days. He left the room, knowing how his master enjoyed nettling him with ridiculous missions and hard timelines. Rather than fret, now he simply pushed the responsibilities to others. 'Hmm… Who haven't I threatened with Lord Sesshoumaru's wrath in a while? Kekeke…"

Sesshoumaru finally sat before his desk, a sleek monitor desktop glowing atop with a hard light. He began to make preparations for his soon to be guests and as the night began to fade into day, he finally sought rest in his bedchambers.

Hi everyone!

Sorry I disappeared for so long! I know, I know, it's been forever and I've been neglecting everyone :P I'm probably gonna disappear for while after this too, but I finally completed a chapter, yay! Its not edited or anything but I figured I'd post it anyway. It's been sitting on my desktop for way too long.

Anyway. I know I said I wanted to finish the story with this chapter, but it started to get too complicated, I have no idea how I'd explain everything in a single chapter, what with everyone trying to eat keiko's soul and what not.

I also haven't decided how to end the story. I mean, should keiko and inuyasha die? Should they live? Should they be separated again? What about kids? If inuyasha keeps searching for kagome's soul, would they have little quarter demons running around? That might be weird… so yeah, that's my dilemma but I'm working on it (in between work and stuff of course….)

But yeah, I hope you like the direction I decided to take with this. Feedback is mucho appreciated, especially opinions on how the story should end.

Opinions, thoughts and questions please!

Oh yeah, I hate the title… I can't figure out a decent title for this…. Help?

Thanks!


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